Grobler’s relishing reunion with Baxter
Jonty Mark
If Bradley Grobler can have the same effect on Libya that he has had on Kaizer Chiefs of late, then there is every chance Bafana Bafana will emerge victorious from tomorrow’s Caf 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against the North Africans at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Grobler has had a superb start to the season, netting a hat-trick in SuperSport United’s 3-2 aggregate win over Chiefs in the MTN8 semifinals, and his form must give him every chance of starting tomorrow in Durban, as Bafana look to go top of Group E.
“I would love to carry on with that goalscoring form … it is always nice to score goals, and to get your first of the season. I have done that … for a striker it is all about confidence,” said the 30year-old striker yesterday.
Grobler also scored for Bafana in a training match against AmaZulu on Wednesday and is enjoying being back with Stuart Baxter, his old club coach. Grobler was a key player as SuperSport won back-to-back Nedbank Cups in 2016 and 2017, scoring in both finals against Orlando Pirates.
“He is a really good coach and easy to work under,” added Grobler.
“He explains what he wants in depth, he drills it into the players and I enjoy the way he plays. He likes to get the ball wide, to get crosses in and to play forward.”
Libya currently top Group E after hammering the Seychelles 5-1 in their opening qualifier, and Grobler warned against underestimating the Mediterranean Knights.
“It is a huge challenge, I don’t think a lot of people understand how difficult games in Africa are to play,” said Grobler.
“People look at Libya and think of the problems in their country and think they are a small team. They train together a lot and don’t have a domestic league. To beat any national team 5-1 is not easy, it means they are a good team and we are expecting a tough game.”
At 30, Grobler can look back at a career that may have been even more prolific if it had not been beset by a series of injuries. The latest, a knee injury, kept him out for over six months before he returned at the start of this season.
“I don’t think it is ever too late,” he said.
“Look at Siphiwe Tshabalala, no one thought at his age he would make it to Europe and he has done it.
“I wish I could go back ten years and start over, but I think I have learned a lot. I have worked with a lot of good coaches and good players,” he added.
“Unfortunately injuries are part of the game, and it has put a dampener on my career, but it is never too late. You just have to look after yourself and give yourself a chance of playing as many games as you can.”
Giovanni Solinas has got off to an uninspiring start as Kaizer Chiefs coach, to say the least. On Saturday at FNB Stadium, his side went into their MTN8 semifinal, second leg against SuperSport United on the back of a decent 2-2 draw in the first leg in Atteridgeville. Solinas, however, bizarrely picked a very defensive formation, playing two holding midfielders in Wiseman Meyiwa and Willard Katsande in front of his back four. A goalless draw would have got Chiefs through to the final, but it appeared a risky strategy, and proved so as Bradley Grobler hit the only goal of the game to win the tie for SuperSport.
“It’s not like I have run out and brought him in the minute he landed in South Africa. It’s not like I am roping him in just as an excuse to have someone I know sitting beside me on the bench. And people will always have opinions. I don’t expect it to be a decision that is attacked by people that understand football. It’s the best decision in a very difficult situation.” – Bafana Bafana coach Stuart Baxter defends his decision to select his son Lee as his goalkeeping coach for tomorrow’s 2019 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya.