Downs must box clever with Brockie

AFTER 13 games for Sundowns since his switch from SuperSport United, Jeremy Brockie has yet to score.

The problem is that Brockie is a square peg in a round hole at Sundowns, he doesn’t fit. But the technical team has told him not to change as that will benefit the club in the long run.

Brockie needs to be in the box to be effective. He needs crosses from the flanks, something Sundowns doesn’t do as their game plan revolves around their short passing game.

“The coaching staff has tried to introduce how I play to the players as well but still keep Sundowns’ style of play. The coaching staff has said to me a few times during training games and training sessions, ‘don’t try and be like a Sundowns’ player, we brought you here because of what you bring to the team’. What’s been tricky is finding the balance between playing my own game and mixing that a little bit with how Sundowns play.”

Brockie hasn’t been successful in finding that balance.

“When you arrive at a new club you’re so eager to impress,” Brockie said. “You look at the players around you and you want to be like a Mshishi (Themba Zwane) or Vila (Sibusiso Vilakazi), come short and get the ball. My strength is being in the box and getting into the end of things.

“When I come short and get involved in those sort of things, that takes away my strength. You’ll see me more around the box this season and maybe not so much involved in the build-up play but getting on the end of things and hopefully scoring goals.”

Brockie could start doing that in Lome today at 3pm in the Brazilians’ Caf Champions League clash with AS Togo-Port. Sundowns have two points from two matches.

The Champions League could help Brockie find himself as some of the pitches that Sundowns will play on don’t allow their passing game and some of the opponents go toe-to-toe with the Brazilians, which could force them to resort to route one football as an alternative to counter that.

“You have to adapt when you play in Africa,” Brockie said. “The game against Horoya showed that. The conditions, the pitch and the crowd were all against us. Sometimes you just have to do what you need to do to get the result.

“It’ll be the same in Togo. The pitch is artificial which brings its own challenges. At times you might have to adapt your style of play a little bit.”