Makaringe: It’s a bitter pill to swallow

“Ha, ha, ha, I think it is every player’s childhood dream”

To the superstitious, having a player named Fortune in your team may be a good omen, and Maritzburg United wouldn’t have been faulted if they subscribed to that school of thought last season, as they did fantastically well in the league and reached the final of the Nedbank Cup. The 2018/19 season is writing a different script, however, as the Pietermaritzburg-based side continues to stumble from one misfortune to another. What is going on? How much did the departure of Lebohang Maboe affect the team? How do Fadlu Davids’ charges plan to bring back their on-field swagger? In this interview, Soccer Laduma’s Celine Abrahams fires these burning questions in the direction of Fortune Makaringe.

Celine Abrahams: Maestro, you were selected for the Bafana Bafana squad to face Nigeria in an AFCON qualifier over the weekend, although you were one of the players sitting in the stands. What did you think of the 1-1 draw against the Super Eagles?

Fortune Makaringe:

I think the gents played very well; they showed so much dedication and hunger in the game. I think they represented the country with passion and we are proud of them. The point (gained) was actually better than nothing because it was important for us to get maximum results, but sometimes we can’t control everything, so we just have to make do with whatever we have and look forward to the next game. From what I have observed since we were in camp together, the guys are all in a very good spirit and they are highly motivated to go out there and do well for the country.

CA: Have these been the conversations between you guys while you spent time together in the camp?

FM: Yeah, I think it’s more about motivating one another and thinking more about what the greatest purpose is because we know that we have a mustwin game against Libya. We have been motivating each other to make sure that when we get there, we do the job and make sure that we win for our country.

CA: Let’s talk club football. Maritzburg United have thus far failed to replicate last season’s dizzying heights and were recently bundled out of the Telkom Knockout after losing 2-1 to Bidvest Wits. What’s happening, Maestro?

FM: If I had to look at that game in particular, I think we started very slow. Bidvest Wits were actually on the front foot more than we were. The fact that we started slow and only started to come back later in the game, especially in the second half, was not good for us. It gave them an advantage to get ahead of us and they took their chances very well. They made things very difficult for us.

CA: Why have you generally been struggling though?

FM:

I think there are not many changes that have been made in the way we play and our style; it’s just that the personnel has changed, but that is always going to happen. Teams are always going to get players going and coming in – that’s expected. We only lost two players in Lebo (Maboe) and (Bevan) Fransman and we actually brought in more players to add more quality to the squad. But it all goes with time and for those that came into the team to adapt to how we play and how

we try to be differ- ent from the rest. The guys have been fitting in well, so it’s just a matter of time before the results come our way. Our coaches have been doing a great job and the integration between the new players and those who have been here has been going well. It’s just that as much as we have been playing well and playing good football, everyone judges a game according to the results and if the results aren’t forthcoming, then it all looks bad. CA: How has the departure of Maboe affected you in particular because he, Siphesihle Ndlovu and yourself created havoc in midfield for the Team of Choice last season? FM: It did affect us because he had so much impact in our team. I think when he left, we had already made plans about him and working together, so his sudden move actually did have an impact on us, but then again, it is part of football and that’s how it goes. We had to make sure that we step up and try to maneuver the whole situation. He was one of our key players, as much as everyone else is part of the team, and he played an important part. CA: What do you think of his progress at Mamelodi Sundowns so far? FM:

I think he’s doing well. I know that he gives his all wherever he plays and he wants to leave his mark there at Sundowns. He has fitted in well in their team. He is a great player and I have no doubt that he will do even better. I am happy for him.

CA: Presumingly you keep in touch with him. What does he say to you?

FM:

I think it’s more brotherly conversations that we have because he always encourages me to actually work harder and make sure that whenever I play, I play to my level best because you never know who is watching. To see him doing well at a team like Sun- downs also inspires me to push even more when I play for my team.

CA: Would you say that this excites you and encourages you to want to move to a big team as well?

FM:

Ha, ha, ha, I think it is every player’s childhood dream to want to play for one of the biggest teams in the country. So, hopefully, if I were to get a move maybe to a team around the world and then come back here and play for a bigger team here in South Africa, that would be an achievement for me. That I would be very happy to achieve.

CA: Apart from playing good football, goals and points are all that matter at the end of the day and we’re sure you do realise that.

FM:

Yes, and it does concern us. Any good player will tell you that every coach is looking to have players that are able to score and that are able to be match winners. Goals win games and if we don’t score, then how are we going to win a game? As much as we can keep clean sheets and all that... it’s good for us, but if we don’t score on the other end of the pitch, then we have a task on our hands. Again, it comes from one taking responsibility and each one of us needs to stand up and be accountable. Each one of us needs to say, “I need to score and make the team win.” That is something the coaches have been working on in every training session as they try to find solutions. They have told us that we need to be clear with our thinking and be composed in front of goal. These are things that we know about. But, as much as they can instil that in us, it has to come from within us as to say, “I need to go out there and do the right thing.” I think being the united team that we are, we always encourage one another. It starts from even the goalkeepers when we are on the field. They even stay behind during our training sessions to help those who want to practise their shooting. Even when we are doing those scoring drills, we become hard on ourselves. Like, if one of us just needs to take two touches before converting, maybe he takes one and then blasts it over the posts, we tell him, “My man, you need to do this and maybe try look for someone else around you if you feel that you aren’t going to make it.” If we are going to fail to do it at training, then we are most likely going to suffer on game day.