Fit-again Grobler just wants that top award

Super Sport United’s Bradley Grobler (below) would love to win the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot at the end of the season.

He and Highlands Park’s Peter Shaulile lead the pack with five goals. However, the coveted strikers’ gong is not at the top of his list of priorities at the moment – he wants to stay fit and become a regular with Bafana Bafana.

Grobler has been named in Molefe Ntseki’s team to face Mali in the Nelson Mandela Challenge on October 13.

“If there is any striker that would say they don’t want the golden boot, they would be lying. I want to make sure I am fit, look after myself and play as many games as I can. Last season was frustrating for me but I have no doubt the goals and the assists will come,” he said.

Grobler was unlucky to miss out on the Africa Cup of Nations a few months ago as he spent most of last season recovering from a groin operation. However, he says his misfortunes with the national team go beyond last season.

“It has not just been for the last season but for the past few of them. I got the first call-up when I left Platinum Stars for Turkey and that is a long time ago. Since then I have been in and out and the injuries have not helped and it became extremely frustrating. A lot of people don’t understand how difficult it is to get into the national team and how hard you have to work. They don’t understand how challenging it is mentally,” he said.

“Last year was extremely difficult and post-operation I was not fit enough and not ready for the amount of games I had to play towards the end of the season and unfortunately that cost me a place in the Afcon which for me was extremely disappointing because as a player that is what you work for.

“But it comes with the game, there is nothing I can do about it now. I just have to take my chances now,” Grobler added.