- Dzvukamanja struggled in the early stages of the season
- But transformed himself into a better player
- An ex-Pirates player tells the club to keep the striker
WHAT HAPPENED? The 29-year-old’s contract expires on June 30, having spent three seasons with the Soweto giants. His agent Mike Makaab says he is about to engage Pirates regarding extending the striker’s contract.
Dzvukamanja himself wants to continue at Pirates and has expressed desire to play Caf Champions League football next season. Mashego describes the Zimbabwean as a “predator” and believes the Buccaneers should not let him leave the club because he is currently their “best goal-scorer.”
WHAT MASHEGO SAID: “I like the way he scores goals; he stays in the game. He didn’t have a good game, but he was there,” Mashego told KickOff.
“On Saturday, I think the coach also realised he’s got a goal in him, he’s a little Fox in the box. I like him because he stays in the game, and if he gets one chance, he finishes it. I’m sure the coach was looking at that when keeping him on the pitch.
“That boy, he is a predator, he’s got goals in him, and once he stays in the game. Once he gets a chance, he will put it away. He doesn’t get a lot of chances, but once he does, he rarely misses, he scored a couple of important goals for Pirates this season.
“He’s a goalscorer, if he gets two or three chances, he scores one. I’m sure that's why the coach kept him in the game. He is not a flashy player, he is not one for the headlines, he doesn’t have touches that will make you go wow.
“I think that was the problem in the beginning because Pirates is a big club, if you don’t have those flashy touches, people don’t talk much about you. I like the fact that he stayed humble regardless what was said about his future with the club at the beginning of the season.
“I think Pirates should do everything in their power to keep him, he is their best goal scorer.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: Dzvukamanja might have done well to convince the club to keep him following some inspiring performances since the turn of the year. This is a player who was about to be offloaded by Pirates atthe start of the season.
He was also a subject of departure talk during the January transfer window. But after working with striker’s coach Scott Chickelday, Dzvukamanja emerged as a vastly improved player who now commanded a regular playing spot.
Since January, Dzvukamanja scored seven Premier Soccer League goals in 13 appearances and managed two assists. He was also the hero of the Nedbank Cup last Saturday, scoring the stoppage-time goal that handed the Buccaneers victory.
WHAT NEXT FOR DZVUKAMANJA? The next few weeks would be crucial for Dzvukamanja to have his contract talks concluded to be secure about his Buccaneers future.
