Fit Pienaar keen to compete after layoff
FORMER Bafana Bafana captain Steven Pienaar has declared himself fully fit and ready for the new season as he looks to put months of disappointment behind him.
Pienaar, 32, missed the final three months of the last campaign, bar a 14-minute cameo appearance in the 2-0 victory over Hull City that brought Everton’s season to a close.
But after rest and a good pre-season, which included 45 minutes on Sunday in the 1-1 draw with Portuguese side FC Porto, “Schillo” says he cannot wait to get back to playing in the premiership this season where he will be South Africa’s only representative.
“For me it’s just nice to be playing again,” he said.
“It’s something I’ve been looking forward to the whole summer holidays. I’ve pushed myself to get fit and my main aim is to try to stay fit and take it from there.”
This will be a big season for Everton following their qualification for the Europa league and that they have splashed out £28-million (R500-million) to sign Belgian international Romelu Lukaku on a permanent basis, nearly doubling their club record transfer.
If fit, Pienaar will play a key role for manager Roberto Martinez, who knows they will need a big squad to compete on all fronts.
“Now’s the time to experiment with different systems and we’ll take the positives from that. We have to be flexible going into the new season. European games are totally different from the Premier League and every opponent will have a different approach.”
Pienaar has made 212 appearances and scored 24 goals since first joining Everton in 2007.
He also spent 18 months at Tottenham Hotspur.