City’s Putsche can’t wait to face Tinkler’s SuperSport

CAPE TOWN: Footballers from Europe don’t always succeed in the PSL. Invariably, because they have come to play in South Africa, the translation is that they are not good enough for Europe.

Also, when they do find a club in the PSL, they find the game too quick, the individual skill too tricky and overall just too difficult to adapt to.

But not Cape Town City’s fantastic Austrian midfielder Roland Putsche,

The workaholic 26-year-old’s story is completely different to the norm – and now, fit again, after missing the Cape club’s two previous fixtures, he’ll be one of the first names on coach Benni McCarthy’s team sheet for today’s MTN8 final against SuperSport United at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban (kick-off 7pm, live on SS4).

Putsche spent six years in the Austrian Bundesliga with Wolfsberger AC. He’s played in the Europa League and, based on how he has performed for City, there’s no doubt he is certainly good enough to still be playing in Europe. But Putsche is no ordinary footballer. When his contract at Wolfsberger ended last year, rather than re-sign or find another club in Europe, he decided that he wanted to experience life. He wanted to learn more about himself, he wanted to travel, he wanted adventure, and he wanted to make a difference in the lives of others. So he took the plunge and arrived in the Cape to work with the Young Bafana Soccer Academy in Somerset West. A few months after his arrival, though, as usual, the football itch needed a scratch. At that time, City were established as a PSL club, and Putsche decided to go down and have a look. Club boss John Comitis had one look at the Austrian at training and hauled out the contract papers and chequebook – this was a footballer he wasn’t about to allow to slip out of his grasp. Putsche has since lived up to his reputation. He has been a steadying midfield presence for City and his lung-busting efforts, combative nature and intelligent link play have been crucial in the Cape club’s success.

Despite what he has achieved at City, he has also not forgotten the primary reason he came to Cape Town. On Thursday, a day before the City squad departed for Durban, Putsche spent some time motivating and inspiring the Young Bafana players. The academy’s U18 team, playing under the auspices of Avendale Athletico, will be competing in today’s Coke Cup final at the Athlone Stadium.

For the MTN8 final, though, Putsche is keen to get back on to the field. He was a member of last season’s Telkom Knockout Cup winning squad and he’s confident City can pull this one off too.

“I can’t wait,” said Putsche, “especially because I pulled my muscle in the game against Or- lando Pirates last month, but I am feeling good again. I had to watch a few games from the stands and I really didn’t like it. It just showed me again that I am not the type of person to watch my own team playing. I am bad at it. I have to be on the field, playing…”

As for today’s opponents, SuperSport, who have Eric Tinkler at the helm, Putsche didn’t think the presence of City’s former coach placed the Cape team at a disadvantage.

“He (Tinkler) knows a lot of our guys, but I doubt that will help him,” said the Austrian. “In fact, it gives us a little bit of extra motivation to face him for the first time. It just brings a little bit more flavour to the game.

“Supersport deserve to be in the final. We beat them in last season’s Telkom final and, in my opinion, we just have to focus on what we have to do. If we play our game, it’s hard to break us down and beat us. That is what we should focus on.”

City’s extraordinary rise to prominence since their formation has been remarkable, and Putsche is just overjoyed to have been able to tag along for the ride.

“I am not sure how many teams before us have managed to be part of two finals in their first two seasons as a club,” he said. “My time at City has definitely turned out to be so much more than I could have imagined.

“Having fully adapted to the game in the PSL now, the difference is that this season I am much wiser than last season – I know my team, and I know what we are capable of when we perform well.”