Looking To Make A Bigger
Impact With Bafana And AmaZulu
Although his
goalscoring exploits cannot yet be compared to those of the man after whom he
is nicknamed, Bongani ‘Drogba’ Ndulula is a rare breed of South African striker
who is considered a natural goalscorer, the 25-year-old player talks about the
chance handed to him by Shakes Mashaba, and Usuthu’s poor start to the season.
Personal Information
Full names: Bongani Ndulula
Date of birth: 29 November 1989
Place of birth: Aliwal North, Eastern Cape
Nickname: Drogba
Position: striker
Jersey no: 9
Club: AmaZulu
Previous clubs: Young Stars, Blackburn Rovers, Bloemfontein Celtic, Orlando Pirates
Honours: 2010 MTN8 winner, 2011 MTN8 winner, 2011 Nedbank Cup winner, 2011 Carling Black Label cup winner, 2011/12 PSL winner, 2012 Carling Black Label winner (all with Pirates).
Hola Drogba. It must be
a great feeling to finally be a Bafana Bafana player, having previously played
for South Africa junior teams.
Ja, as you know, every player is excited when he gets the
chance to represent his country and I am no different. To be honest with you, I
was very surprised when Shakes Mashaba announced my name as part of the squad
the first time, but I am one person who believes that everything has its own
time. I think it’s my time to be in the national team right now.
Some felt your recent
call-ups were not deserved, as you have not been hitting the back of the net
regularly at club level.
No, people will always talk, whether you are doing well or
not. You don`t have to listen to them too much.
One can imagine the
pressure that comes with wearing the national team jersey.
Yes, you are right. But the pressure is always there,
wherever you play. At national level it’s way more because you are representing
the country, not just a certain section of the supporters. As long as you have
the support of your teammates and the technical team. It’s been a good
experience for me so far.
What do you think the
coach sees in you to believe that you can deliver the goods?
The coach and I know each other from the national U23 side,
where I was banging goals. Maybe that’s why he thought about giving me a
chance. Some people might feel I don`t deserve this opportunity, but people
will always talk whatever you do. Every coach is different and they don`t have
the same coaching styles. What I like about Shakes is that he knows how to talk
to the players and man-manage them.
Is that the major
difference between Mashaba and the other coaches you have worked under?
No, they are the same. All the coaches I have played under
were free around their players. When a coach is free around their players, it
gives his player’s confidence and everything goes well.
South Africa is
suffering from a well-documented goalscoring problem. Do you believe you could
be the long-term solution?
I hope so, but that has to start at club level. I am hoping
that from now on I will start scoring goals on a regular basis for AmaZulu.
Every striker experiences that period when he is not scoring and I think that’s
what has been happening to me. Sometimes it does affect your confidence a little
bit, but you just need to work hard and things get better. When you start
scoring goals, people will stop talking too much and they will be happy that
you are scoring. But you must never want to prove people wrong.
You scored 15 goals
in 14 games for the U23’s, which is a joint record you share with Siyabonga
Nomvete. Why do you think it’s taken you so long to graduate to the senior
national team?
That’s an interesting question. Like I told you, maybe it
wasn`t my time to play for Bafana and now is my time to play in the national
team. God works in his own ways and he has everything planned out for us. I
must say that I`m not really satisfied with my progress since those days, but
what can I say? These things happen in life. Every player wishes to go and play
overseas and I`m disappointed I have not moved there, since there were European
clubs interested in me when I was at Orlando Pirates but I couldn`t just leave
while I had a contract with Pirates.
I don`t know what happened, but that`s in the past and there
is still a chance for me to fulfil my European dream, as long I continue to do
well.
There are rumours
that Kaizer Chiefs is looking to secure your services to bolster their striking
department.
I read about it in the papers and I just treated it as a
rumour. I`m still an AmaZulu player. All I know is that I`m playing for Usuthu
and that`s where my focus is.
How do you feel about
Chiefs’ interest in you, if it’s true?
If it`s true it means there is something special I`m doing,
but like I said, I`m focusing on my current team.
Would you be willing
to join Chiefs if Usuthu let you go?
Yes, you know how football goes sometimes – you can never
say no. It will depend on a lot of things. If they really want me, and if they
don`t want to release me. If they agree to let me go, then so be it.
Thanks and all the best
this season.
Thanks bro, to AmaZulu supporters, we know that we haven`t
had the best of starts, but please don’t give up on us.