Burnley manager Vincent Kompany rules Lyle Foster out of going to the Africa Cup of Nations as the striker continues mental health treatment, despite being named in South Africa’s provisional squad for the tournament

• Vincent Kompany has ruled Lyle Foster out of going to the Africa Cup of Nations  
• Foster was named in South Africa’s provisional squad for the tournament  
• Is there now huge pressure on Newcastle to finish in the top four? Listen to the debate on It’s All Kicking Off 

Burnley boss Vincent Kompany has ruled out striker Lyle Foster from going to the Africa Cup of Nations as he continues to work on his mental health.

South Africa have named Foster in their provisional 50-man squad for AFCON which starts in Ivory Coast on January 13.

But Kompany said on Thursday the 23-year-old would not be able to take part in the tournament.

Foster’s last Premier League appearance for Burnley was on October 21 and it was revealed the following month he’d be taking an indefinite break from football to have specialist treatment for his mental wellbeing.

‘Unfortunately, he is not in a position where he can go with the national team. He just can’t,’ said Kompany.

Vincent Kompany has ruled Lyle Foster (L) out of going to the Africa Cup of Nations 

Kompany said that the striker was ‘not in a position where he can go with the national team’ 

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‘Going away for a long time in a very different environment is not something he can do at the moment.

‘His love for his country has no limits but that would be going against the advice of every expert. It’s difficult. I am a coach of African heritage and I know AFCON is very important and deserves the same respect as the Euros.

‘But the human being, his condition specifically, he is not at a stage where he can do any of that.

‘Hopefully in the future, he can do a lot more for everybody on the big stage. But it has to be step-by-step.’

Foster had been named in South Africa’s provisional squad ahead of the tournament

He has been slowly stepping up his work after receiving help from mental health professionals

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Foster is gradually stepping up his work after receiving help from mental health professionals and is understood to have recently returned to the Burnley training ground but no date has been given for a comeback.

‘Lyle is making, the way I think you describe it, progress. We follow him closely, he still has treatment, but his progress is what you’d want it to be in terms of mental health,’ added Kompany.

‘Physically he is OK. We are progressing into the next phase. I am not able to put a timescale on it. He is in a good place and we have made progress. We will see.’

Burnley are currently in the Premier League relegation zone and their match against Everton on Saturday will be the first time former manager Sean Dyche has returned to Turf Moor.

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