Craig Martin
The Cape Town City utility player is hoping to kick-on and cement his place in the Bafana Bafana squad with the 2022 World Cup in mind.
Craig Martin might have played professional cricket had he not been a footballer, and recently brought up a century of a different kind having joined the ‘100 club’ at Cape Town City in terms of appearances. And having made his Bafana Bafana debut in June, he is arguably enjoying the best spell of his career. The 27-year-old is now looking forward to helping The Citizens to silverware under new coach Eric Tinkler and tells KICK OFF’s Nick Said there is enough quality in the squad to challenge for more than one trophy. KICK OFF: Did you manage to have much of an off-season and come back refreshed for the new campaign? Craig Martin:
We had a two-week break from individual training schedules and that kind of thing, which was really good. When we came back it was hard though! It is a lot of running and drills to get that fitness back up. There is also some ball work, but it is mostly fitness.
You arrived at City just after the exit of Eric Tinkler in his first spell as coach, so did not get to work with him first time round. You saw his methods at the end of last season and now ahead of this campaign, what are your thoughts on him?
He is different compared to the other coaches I have had, but I am really enjoying working with him. His style of football is really interesting, the way he wants the team to play. I think it is really going to suit us. I am really looking forward to this season because I think we can do really well with the players and the technical team we have. There is a lot for us to look forward to and we should be confident in what we can achieve.
Do you see yourself fitting into how Coach Tinkler wants the team to set up?
Yes, absolutely. I feel like I am a really good fit for the way the coach wants us to play, which is to use width to attack and be quick on the break. He can play me on the right wing or as a right-back. I feel like I will fit into the team in either of those positions, though to be honest I have no idea where I might play in the first game of the season. I don’t know yet where he sees me being used. But either way, I know I will fit into the style he wants because we have already spoken about that. He has told me how he will use me in different ways in the season and I am excited about that.
You mention the different positions and you are such a versatile player and much more than just a quick winger. But which do you prefer, the right-back role or the position where you first broke into the team, on the wing?
I prefer to play right wing, but lately I have played so much as a right-back that I am getting used to it and maybe enjoying it a little bit more. It does
take some adapting, especially when you keep switching between the two. You maybe play some games at right-back, then go to right-wing and have to adjust to that, then back to right-back and you have to adjust again. Obviously each position is very different in terms of the way you must play. But if you ask me which is my favourite, I see myself as a right-wing. I prefer to be up front with more of a chance to create and score goals, rather than being at the back.
So what should City be aiming for this season? It is fair to say the last two campaigns have not gone to plan, can the team turn things around and be genuine title challengers?
We have to go for everything, all the competitions. We want to win everything! I think it is possible too. We will first fight for the MTN8, and then the Nedbank [Cup] and finally the league. Ja, we definitely should be fighting for the league, we know it is not easy but this should be our ambition this season. We have already had new players coming in and they have adapted well. They will make us stronger. We have also had trialists that want to make this team stronger. So we know we will be better next season and we must have the mentality that we should go for every competition. Especially the league. And why not?
You have always had such great support from the fans at the club, it is like you were a cult figure there from day one and supporters really warmed to you as a local player making it in the team. How difficult has it been for you especially to play without the fans since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic?
It is difficult not playing in front of supporters. Going into the ‘bubble’ [in the 2019-20 season] and seeing those empty stands, it was strange. But you know what, you just have to play your game. Maybe it was actually easier for me over some players because when I was at lower division clubs I didn’t have crowds, so I am actually quite used to that. It is only at Cape Town City that I have played in front of fans. So for me it is not that different and it doesn’t worry me too much, though obviously we would prefer to have our fans back in the stadiums.
You have such speed and are one of the quickest players in the league. Of course, you have much more than just pace, but were you ever an athlete at school?
No, I was never an athlete. I only used to play football and cricket. I loved cricket, I played for my local club as an all-rounder. I could bat and then also bowl medium pace deliveries, get a little bit of swing. I just got into it by fate, I was just watching and one of the coaches said to me, ‘come bowl a ball’. He then said I must go train with them, obviously he saw something. So when it was not soccer season I would play cricket and I loved it. My father actually wanted me to be a cricketer and not a footballer. I think he saw me playing [professional] cricket rather than soccer, but then the soccer opportunity came first, so …
“I FEEL LIKE I AM A REALLY GOOD FIT FOR THE WAY THE COACH WANTS US TO PLAY.”
So how did you get into soccer and eventually end up at Cape Town City,
Yes, definitely. I would like to go abroad and have a new challenge, to test myself in a different league. I don’t really have a preference where, but just to get the chance to try something new would be fantastic. It is something I am always working towards and hoping for.