Ajax target United
Cape Town side keen to heap more heartache on suffering SuperSport After learning to be a Buccaneer, Phungwayo feels like a star again
FORMER Orlando Pirates left-back Patrick Phungwayo doesn’t consider his stay with the Buccaneers a failure. Phungwayo is now plying his trade with Free State Stars where he is getting regular game time.
At Pirates his progress was consistently hampered by injuries, while the form of Thabo Matlaba made matters worse for Phungwayo.
Phungwayo spoke to Independent Media in Durban after Free State Stars match against Kaizer Chiefs this past weekend at Moses Mabhida Stadium.
“I enjoyed every moments with Pirates. People don’t understand, you learn so much in football, especially with the team like Pirates. I’ve learnt so much. I’ve grown as a player. I’m matured now. I don’t think there’s any situation that I could face and defeat me. Pirates has done so much for me as a player. I’ve taken the opportunity and I’m grateful. I went to how many finals with Pirates? I was out for nine months. I had injuries but I went to finals with Pirates. I went to five finals with Pirates. I could have had the star but it wasn’t to be.
“I had my fair chance at Pirates and I’m happy with my contribution and what I learnt,” Phungwayo lamented.
Phungwayo has been one of the stand out performers for Stars this season. This past weekend they played out to 1-1 stalemate with Chiefs.
“My goal and objective this season is to get regular game time and improve as a player. Other achievements after that will be a bonus for me. I’m glad that I’m enjoying football again. It wasn’t an easy decision to make when I decided to leave Pirates.
“It is actually the first time I’m playing outside of Johannesburg, if I don’t count the time I spent overseas (in Greece). I’ve always been in Johannesburg. It wasn’t an easy decision but I took it and I’m reaping the benefits,” Phungwayo elaborated.
Phungwayo replaced Puleng Tlhone at Stars – the latter is now at Bidvest Wits, where is struggling for game time.
“It is good that I’m improving in each and every game. The confidence
THE big question is how vulnerable SuperSport United will be when they tackle Ajax Cape Town in a PSL fixture at Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit tonight (kick-off 7.30).
The Pretoria side have just come off a hugely disappointing defeat to TP Mazembe in the CAF Confederation Cup final. Making the pain even worse will be the fact that they couldn’t break down the DR Congo side in Atteridgeville on Saturday. With an away goal in the bag, SuperSport would have felt they had the edge, but football doesn’t work that way. In the end it was goalless and the South Africans were left to rue a missed opportunity.
Mentally, as they head into a tricky PSL clash against a much-improved Ajax, SuperSport will be feeling the effects of the Mazembe loss.
Because of this, Ajax central defender Mario Booysen, a former SuperSport player, believes this is the time to take advantage.
“SuperSport will be switching their focus to the league but the loss in the Cup final will still hurt,” said Booysen.
“Nobody likes to lose in a final. They will be bruised and thinking about the defeat. They will be looking to come out against us to make it right. They are behind in the league and will be looking to get higher up the table.
“SuperSport have a good squad with experienced players, but we have to make sure we worry about ourselves. We have to control what we can control. We just have to stick to the game plan. It’s all about attitude and we have to apply ourselves in a professional manner.
“The thing is coming back. The coach believes in me. For me it is so far, so good. Players come and go in football. You can’t stay at one club forever. If it is time to move on, you need to move on ... It was a great decision to leave Pirates.
“I’m enjoying football now and the team is doing well so far. Obviously we have an ambition which is to reach Top 8. We are not out of track and we have to keep on winning games,” Phungwayo explained. is that it always offers you an opportunity to change things, to make things right, and this is our opportunity.”
The 29-year-old Booysen, originally from Bonteheuwel, started his professional career with Ajax before going on to play for SuperSport, Bloemfontein Celtic, Maritzburg United and Mamelodi Sundowns. He returned to the Mother City this season as part of the deal that saw Rivaldo Coetzee sign for Sundowns, and he has brought greater defensive stability to the team.
But, despite Booysen’s considerable presence, Ajax are still conceding far too many unnecessary goals. It’s something the defender says has to be eliminated from their game. Once they achieve that, he has no doubt that the Cape side will quickly turn things around.
“If you look at it overall, in our games, teams haven’t really worked hard for their goals,” he said. “It’s soft goals we’ve been conceding. But we have to take it and learn from it. There is still a lot to play for. We have enough quality and the team is starting to gel really nicely.
“Based on the performance against AmaZulu at the weekend (a 2-2 draw), we were the better team; we just need to stop conceding such soft goals. Personally, from a defender’s point of view, it’s not nice.”
On tonight’s challenge against SuperSport, Booysen revealed some of the issues he believed needed to be attended to if Ajax are to become the team he knows they can be.
“We have to build on that performance against AmaZulu, especially the second half, and we have to move on from there,” he said.
“I believe we are on the right track. The team has done well, the problem has been unnecessary lapses in concentration.”