Chiefs’ bright Moon reaches for the stars
Ryan Moon is among the most talked about people in the country right now – and rightly so. His exploits have brought a smile back to Kaizer Chiefs supporters and could somehow save coach Steve Komphela’s blushes should
Amakhosi go all the way and win the Absa Premiership.
The good thing perhaps is that the 21-year-old still believes he has a long way to go before he can consider himself a big player. Playing and doing well at one of the country’s big clubs is just a part of the dream for the Woodlands-born star.
“I am happy so far,” he said. “Playing some games and being on the scoresheet is good. I obviously still need to improve. I am still young and there is a lot I have to learn and improve on. I have to remain open to learning.
“I have to listen to the senior players and especially the coach who has given us youngsters a chance in the team. I would like to continue doing well and scoring,” he added.
Komphela also believes Moon can be a great player if properly guided in all aspects of his life – on and off the field – with the Amakhosi mentor always appealing for support whenever asked about his rising star.
“He is unbelievably talented. He is ready to pounce at any time and we have to keep hoping that he keeps banging them in. We request that he be given time and support as we assist him in keeping his feet on the ground,” said Komphela after Moon scored the winner against Cape Town City on Saturday.
Moon’s rise to be the top striker at Chiefs this season is something inspirational and some fans have even compared him to a Messiah sent to save their team from a third consecutive barren season in terms of silverware.
“I am honoured if people call me that,” he said. “But I don’t have to let that go to my head … my head is already big enough as it is,” he added jokingly.
“I have to keep my feet on the ground and keep working hard. My dream is obviously to go overseas. It’s never easy to go overseas. It takes a lot of hard work. So it is about taking it one game at a time and more hard work for me,” he said.
Moon credited his recent good form to the extra work he puts in after training: “I stay after training and do a lot of extra work with the coach and Bernard Parker with whom I am very close. I listen to a lot of what he has to say and absorb his wisdom because he has been there and done a lot at various clubs. It’s important for me to listen to someone like him.”
The youngster has scored three of his five goals so far with his head, and he said the understanding he has with the wingers in the team is due to the time he puts in analysing their patterns and also speaking to them.
“It’s important to analyse your suppliers and see where they like to drop the ball so you can anticipate their crosses,” he said. And yes, if you were wondering, he can score with his feet too.
“Yes I can,” he said. “As a striker you can use any part of the body to score. What’s important is the goal itself, not how you scored it. A goal is a goal. However it comes I will take it.”