Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer has commended midfielder Nkanyiso Zungu as a hard worker who is now ripe for the huge responsibility of playing for the Soweto giants, and the coach now hopes his player stays motivated to cement a starting place in the team.
Zungu narrowly beat the transfer deadline in January to sign for the Buccaneers from Stellenbosch FC in a much-hyped move which heightened expectations.
But he struggled to break into the team, before finally tasting action for Pirates in Tuesday’s 0-0 Premier Soccer League (PSL) draw with Mamelodi Sundowns, although making a cameo appearance.
After Zungu came on for Vincent Pule in injury time, Zinnbauer drew positives from the game.
“Zungu is a good guy, he is a worker, he understands now the first time, what is Orlando Pirates,” Zinnbauer told the media as per Far Post.
“Orlando Pirates is a big club and Orlando Pirates have a top squad, and it’s not so easy to arrive here and then it’s all there [time to play]. You have to work for your position and Zungu made good work in the last weeks, during the last two weeks he made a top performance.
“Nobody wants to be out and it’s not easy to make changes because you want to win the games. But yeah he has some minutes now and I hope he gets more motivation for the next games and confidence, and step by step get closer to the starting 11. He has the qualities but he is a new player for us so now we will bring him closer for the starting 11.”
After making 18 appearances and making one assist across all competitions for Stellenbosch in the first half of this season, Zungu’s switch to Pirates came with difficulties before the season was suspended in March.
After making his debut on Tuesday, Zinnbauer could hand him more playing minutes as the Bucs now prepare for Saturday's league clash against Bidvest Wits.
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