New SuperSport United striker Nokutenda Mangezi says he grew up idolising Zimbabwe legend Knowlege Musona.
The 19-year-old signed for SuperSport, joining from Simba Bhora in the Zimbabwean Premier League, while he was also on the books of Harere-based academy Real Betis.
He becomes the latest talent from the country to make the move to the country, following in the footsteps of some of his nation’s greatest strikers, including current teammate Terrence Dzvukamanja.
“So when I started playing there was Terrence, Khama Billiat, there’s [Tendai] Ndoro, there were a lot of guys [playing in South Africa], but growing up we all knew Musona, as he was more popular,” he said.
“From Zimbabwe, watching Musona, watching him scoring, he was my idol. So here maybe you will be saying I want to be like Musona one day or more, even better than him. So I can say Musona was my idol.”
“Of course, I am still young, I am still learning a lot, so of course my expectations are to make Zimbabwe proud of me, to represent my country well here – a lot of Zimbabwean strikers have made it here in South Africa.
“It’s not like it’s pressure, I just have to enjoy playing here, do whatever I have to do, do what the coaches tell me to do – I’m happy to be here, so I have to carry on from where they left.”
With Bradley Grobler suffering a serious groin injury, he teenager was thrown into the deep end with a debut in Tshwane Derby against champions Mamelodi Sundowns and his head coach Gavin Hunt admits he is a work-in-progress with major potential.
“He didn’t play as a nine, he didn’t play there against Sundowns but he’s 19 years old, he was okay, as I say if you put him in that environment, it’s not easy, it’s easy when you sit at home watching tv, but as 19 against a team who’s winning everything, you are expecting miracles, he needs to be coming in, not starting,” Hunt said about his debut.
“I think he… people obviously say strikers must score goals, obviously that’s important but there’s a lot more, he needs to be part of the build-up, play without the ball, play for the team, he needs to [improve] hold-up play and these things take time. But technically he is good, ability not too bad, in terms of pace and things like that.”
