Bradley keeps up the family tradition
It can never be easy following in the footsteps of a famous footballing father, but these days, Bradley Grobler is doing a good job of amassing a trophy haul at SuperSport United that bears comparison with his dad Les’ achievements.
Les Grobler was a prolific striker in the late 1980s and early 1990s at Rangers and Moroka Swallows, winning the NSL with the former in 1986 and two Bob Save SuperBowls with the latter in 1989 and 1991.
Bradley Grobler followed his father into the striking ranks, and if he has never been quite as prolific, he has proved himself a man to rise to the occasion, as SuperSport United have enjoyed a superb run of success in knockout competitions over the last couple of years. Goalscoring contributions to Matsatsantsa’s two Nedbank Cup triumphs over Orlando Pirates in 2016 and 2017 were followed on Saturday by a quite brilliant assist to set up Thabo Mnyamane for the equaliser against Cape Town City in the MTN8 final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium. Grobler also slammed Matsatsantsa’s opening penalty into the top corner as they went on to beat City in a penalty shoot-out.
“I have never felt pressure to try and be who he was or be better than him,” says Grobler of the responsibility of living up to his dad.
“We have spoken many times about it and football has evolved so much. It is two different games and it is unfair to compare … if anything he has helped me so much in my career, we still chat after every game and speak about what I could be doing better. He coached me until I was 19 years old. The more motivation and help he gives me the better and he still does it today.”
Grobler was delighted to again be able to help his team to victory on Saturday – winning has become a habit for SuperSport, who are also in the semifinals of this season’s Caf Confederation Cup.
“I was pretty happy with the assist, but I always felt like we were going to score, the team is generally stronger as games go on and we have done it so often, coming back, we have shown great character, especially going down to ten men.
“It was incredibly difficult, I was struggling terribly with cramps, I think Clayton (Daniels) also had cramps. A lot of people will think we are not fit, but I don’t think people realise we have played a lot of games.”
SuperSport now travel to Tunisia for the second leg of their Caf Confederation Cup semifinal against Tunisian side Club Africain, and have it all to do after a 1-1 draw in Tshwane.
Matsatsantsa, however, have performed well on the road thus far in the competition.
“It is something we did speak about, we have been very good on the road and would like to keep that going. We should have wrapped it up in the first leg, obviously we missed a number of chances, but we are feeling confident going there for a result.”
Grobler, meanwhile, has also recently been back in the Bafana Bafana squad under his former club coach Stuart Baxter, and believes that they can beat Senegal home-and-away next month and qualify for the 2018 Fifa World Cup, with spirits high again after the October win over Burkina Faso.
“To be honest, against any team in Africa it is difficult to get two wins, there is no doubt these are two ridiculously difficult games but at the same time, after the last performance, I just have a good feeling about it,” said Grobler.