Makaringe aims for starting berth at Bucs
Midfielder struggling to keep the form that carried him to Pirates
He may not have played as much as he would have hoped for, but Orlando Pirates midfielder Fortune Makaringe feels he is more matured compared to when he was at Maritzburg United a few years ago.
Makaringe has found the going tough in cementing a place in the Pirates’ starting line-up but believes joining the Soweto giants made him a better player.
Before the Fifa World Cup break, the 29-year-old has made 10 appearances across all competitions, most coming in as a substitute and creating one assist.
Since his move to the Buccaneers two seasons ago, he has failed to show the same form he did at Maritzburg.
“Where I was before and where I’m right now, is not the same. The expectations here and where I was before are not the same,” Makaringe told the media.
“In football, when you play and you grow, there are challenges that you face that you end up questioning .
“Others might see that I’m not as outstanding as I was in the previous team, but at the same time, I have matured better than where I was before and the way we play in this team is not the same and expectations are not the same.”
The Bushbuckridge-born midfielder added that the expectations at the Soweto giants may have limited him to showcase his talent more, but that has helped him to improve how he plays.
“The mandate we have at Pirates is not the same as at Maritzburg. I can say for example that at Maritzburg, it was mostly about surviving relegation, but at Pirates, it is about winning trophies.
“Maybe, if I can look at myself in the mirror, I will say I have improved hugely because I can play everywhere at Pirates, whereas at Maritzburg I was playing in specific positions.”
Makaringe hopes for more game time when the DStv Premiership resumes after the Fifa World Cup break in Qatar, where Pirates will face Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on December 31.