Once a Pirate, Ndlovu happy to stay put at SuperSport
Midfielder confident Matsatsantsa can put an end to Downs’ dominance
Image: Philip Maeta
SuperSport United midfielder Siphesihle Ndlovu revealed that he insisted on staying at the club where he enjoyed his football after signing a two-year deal recently.
Ndlovu spent last season on loan at SuperSport due to limited game-time at Orlando Pirates.
But after impressive performances at the Tshwane side, where he made 22 appearances last season, he felt this was the place where he should stay.
“I’m the one who wanted to stay. It was a matter of game time I was getting and obviously the reception that I got here was very welcoming,” Ndlovu told Sowetan yesterday.
So impressive was Ndlovu that many felt the 26-year-old should have also walked away with the Player of the Season at the club’s year-end ceremony.
“It was a good season for me and the club. I would like to thank my colleagues for being there for me and making sure that I don’t drop the tempo and the points because when I got there, everything was going well and they were competing,” he said.
“So yeah, I’m looking forward to the upcoming season and I’m [also] looking to improve on what I did last campaign.”
Ndlovu also thanked coach Gavin Hunt for giving him the opportunity to revive his career after coming there low on confidence from Pirates.
“Every footballer will tell you the same thing – if you are not playing at times, it is difficult. But when you are playing, everything starts to become much easier, then you start to gain your confidence and you start to do things much easier than before.
“Even the fitness itself improved. Gavin gave me the opportunity and he believed in me. That’s the most I can say.
“You just know that you need to perform for him and the club basically.”
Meanwhile, Ndlovu is optimistic that they can challenge their Tshwane nemesis Mamelodi Sundowns for league honours in the new season.
“We are playing for a coach who is a winner and a club that has been winning things, obviously that is expected from any other club.
“In this club, it is also expected even more, it’s a matter of gathering the squad together and that’s where we say this is where we think we are and this is [where] we think we can go because at the moment we are still gathering the squad.”