Benni praises obscure Martin, laments inconsistencies

THERE are footballers who need a bit of time to adapt to the rigours of top-level football. Nothing wrong with that – it’s up to the coaches to have patience. But, on the other hand, there are also footballers capable of making the transition from amateur to professional as if they were born for it. Like Cape Town City’s Craig Martin.

Martin, the 24-year-old winger from Factreton has come from complete obscurity, to being one of the PSL’s most exciting talents. He’s not the finished article – as City coach Benni McCarthy readily admits – but he’s regularly turned in superb performances for the Cape side.

On Tuesday night at the Cape Town Stadium, with City 1-0 down to Baroka FC, it was Martin who popped up with the equalising goal and he was also desperately unlucky not to get the winner as he terrorised the Baroka defence in the closing stages.

Needless to say, McCarthy was lavish in his praise.

“Martin has cemented his place in the team,” said McCarthy. “He certainly doesn’t look like a player who has just come from amateur football, he looks like he’s rather used to PSL football. He’s fearless, he’s committed, he gets into dangerous areas and he gets the team to go forward. At the same time, he is inexperienced, he does mistakes, but he also does so many good things on the field.”

Martin’s greatest asset is his passion. His attitude on the field is reminiscent of how a kid feels when he first discovers the joy of football; he plays with gusto, with absolute delight in everything he does.

More than that, he’s even already got his own personal fan club. At every City home game, there’s a sizeable group cheering his every move, chanting his nickname ‘Dooger’.

But, as City prepare for their next challenge against Golden Arrows in Durban on Saturday, McCarthy was frank in his assessment of his team’s failings at the moment.

“It seems to be a familiar pattern with us,” said the City coach. “We have a good first half and then a poor second half, or we have a poor first half and a decent second half. Again (against Baroka) we started like we were on holiday, we were lethargic and second to everything. I thought we were fortunate to be in the contest at half-time.

“The players got a good few boots up their arses during the break. Then, after we conceded a goal, we finally got some urgency to our game. We deservedly got one back and, after that, we were all over them, and should really have finished it off.

“It’s the story of Cape Town City at the moment as we again threw away vital points. I guess I should feel happy for finally knowing what it’s like to draw a game. (It was City’s first league draw of the season). It means that we are still there and thereabouts on the log. But, really, three points against Baroka would have been better.”

City’s star winger Aubrey Ngoma was on the bench, after recovering from injury, but saw no action as McCarthy erred on the side of caution.