Consistent and regular displays in a Rovers shirt would have all but confirmed Elrio van Heerden’s place in the South Africa squad for their home World Cup of 2010.

However, a six month stay that included just two substitute appearances in the League Cup, put pay to those dreams.

Van Heerden reflects back on his time at Ewood Park as one of a clash of styles, and feels moving to ‘a bigger club’ in Europe would have suited him better. The midfielder arrived from Club Brugge in the summer of 2009, but by January he was moving on, having failed to make an impact on Sam Allardyce’s side.

Van Heerden enjoyed an impressive Africa Cup of Nations tournament in 2008, scoring twice.

He remained at Club Brugge for a further 18 months, before switching to Rovers, ahead of South Africa’s 2009 FIFA Confederations Cup campaign.

After another impressive tournament, helping South Africa to a third-place finish, things were looking up.

Despite his injury concerns and differences with club management, he admits in hindsight, staying with the Belgian side would have been better for his career prospects.

Under Allardyce he played just twice for Rovers, both off the bench in league cup ties with Gillingham and Chelsea.

“If everything (contractually) was wrapped up I would’ve stayed longer in Belgium. I was settled and the league was good. If I could’ve stayed another two seasons I would’ve been much better prepared for a bigger league in Europe,” said van Heerden who now works as technical coach for the Nelson Mandela Bay University’s Madibaz Football Club.

“But, certain things happen and you can’t say no (to a move to England) because you need to take on a challenge and unfortunately I didn’t move to the biggest club. If I stayed longer, I could’ve moved to a bigger club in the league and not one fighting relegation.

“The coach is under pressure and you know Sam Allardyce’s football type.

“He liked me and I can respect the part where he has to win games. His philosophy is not to win the league but to maintain his club’s Premier League status.

“At that time, it was mostly preferred for players with physique and height because my style of play wasn’t that suitable and it was something I needed to adapt to.”

With the World Cup on the horizon, and following conversation with the national team, van Heerden knew his chances of making the tournament rested with him playing regular football. That wasn’t something he had enjoyed with Rovers, failing to even make a Premier League matchday squad.

His next move was a short-term deal with Sivasspor, but a change of management at the Turkish club shortly after signing, put pay to his hopes of being a first-team regular.

And failing to make a single appearance from March, he feared his World Cup chance was gone.

“Muhsin Ertugral was the coach at the time and he wanted me. That was the first time I had played under him and the most important part for me was that I had to play,” he told South African football magazine Kick-Off.

“I spoke to (South Africa assistant) coach Pitso (Mosimane) and he made it very clear that everybody in the squad needs to be playing.

“Then Muhsin left after two months and – I don’t know what the story was – a new coach comes in and dropped all the foreign players. From that point on I knew that the chances of going to the World Cup were not good.”

He was ultimately overlooked for the tournament, in which the hosts narrowly missed out on qualifying for the group stages, but felt his appearances in the two previous tournaments still gave him a chance of being included.

The 38-times capped midfielder said: “I felt that I had established myself with my performances and thought that with what I did on the field I would’ve won more trust from the coach.”

Van Heerden spent a year at Westerloo in Belgium before joining his first and only Premier Soccer League club, Lamontville Golden Arrows, in 2011.

The season he spent with the Durban-based side ultimately proved to be his last in professional football, his career effectively over by his 30th birthday. However, he admits: “I am satisfied with what I achieved.”