UMQEQESHI waMaZulu, uPablo “Cijimpi” Martin, ufuna ukumkhuculula “insila” yeSuperSport United umgadli abamboleke kwiMamelodi Sundowns, u-Etiosa Ighodaro, akholwa wukuthi uzokwenza okungcono kubona kunangesizini edlule.
I-Ighodaro (23) waseBenin City, eNigeria, ujoyine Usuthu ezinsukwini ezedlule emuva kokuba sekucacile ukuthi akakabi nayo indawo emafolosini eSundowns. Lo mgadli uphila ngokubolekiswa selokhu asayina kwiSundowns ngo-2021. Akakaze alidlubhe ijezi lamaBrazilians atheleka eMzansi emagange ukuthi uzowadlalela.
Kumasizini amathathu, u-Ighodaro usebolekiswe kwi-University of Pretoria, Chippa United nakwiSuperSport ayishayele amagoli ayisishiyagalombili ngesizini edlule. Emuva kokushaya amagoli angu-11 kwiChili Boys ngesizini ka-2022/2023, watshela leli phephandaba ukuthi usekulungele ukuyolwela indawo yakhe esikimini seSundowns.
Emuva kwezinsuku ezimbalwa ekushilo lokho, iSundowns yamubolekisa kwiSuperSport. Ngempelasonto edlule, u-Ighodaro ubonakale okokuqala esikimini saMaZulu emqhudelwaneni iKZN Premier’s Cup ebidlalelwa Olundi.
UMartin uthe u-Ighodaro uzokhula ngoba ungumdlali onganqeni ukusebenza futhi olalelayo.
“Ungumdlali weSundowns ngenxa yokuthize anakho. Abadlali abafiki kwiSundowns bengakulungele lokho. Usemncane futhi uhlala enentshisekelo ngebhola. Engafinyelela kwelinye izinga futhi uzothuthuka. Ngokwezimo ezidinga amabhola aphezulu nokulibamba ulinde abanye abadlali, ungumdlali okulungele lokho ngoba usuka kwiSuperSport. Ngakho bajwayele ukudlala ngaleyo ndlela futhi uyabona ukuthi muhle ngempela ekuwawineni wonke nokuwadlulisa ngekhanda ngenhloso,” kusho uMartin.
“Uhlobo lwaMaZulu lwanamuhla, akulona uhlobo lwaMaZulu esifuna ukuba yilona nohlobo lwebhola esifuna ukuludlala. Kulolu hlobo lwebhola u-Ighodaro udinga ukukuqonda ukudlala uma siphethe ibhola. Ngicabanga ukuthi kuzoba yinto enhle kuyena futhi ngicabanga ukuthi sizomnika amathuluzi okuba ngumdlali ongcono. Kuyena ngibona umdlali ofunayo ukufunda nsuku zonke futhi ozikhandlayo. Uma unalezo zinto, ngicabanga ukuthi leyo nhlanganisela ikahle kakhulu. Ngicabanga ukuthi uzokhula futhi nginethemba lokuthi uzosishayela amagoli angaphezulu ngesizini ezayo. Engaba ngumdlali ongcono.”
UMartin uthole ithuba elengeziwe lokucijisisa iqembu lakhe njengoba lingekho kwiMTN8 ezoqala ngempelasonto ezinkundleni ezahlukene. AmaZulu ayoze adlale ngoSepthemba 14 emdlalweni wokuqala weBetway Premiership nePolokwane City ePeter Mokaba Stadium. UMartin unikwe umbandela wokubeka iqembu kwamane azoqeda ehlezi phezulu kwiPremiership ekupheleni kwesizini ka-2024/2025.