ON FORM Bidvest Wits striker Eleazar Rodgers said Bafana Bafana shouldn’t put themselves under undue pressure in their World Cup qualifying campaign.
Bafana head coach, Ephraim Shakes Mashaba has selected the veteran to add more punch into his attack for Saturday’s crucial opening 2018 World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou.
Mashaba’s faith in Rodgers is well founded after the 31-year-old netted in the Clever Boys 3-0 hammering of Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 final played in Nelspruit on the weekend.
A confident sounding Rodgers said he’s had a good start to the season with his club and looks forward to take his form into the national team.
Said Rodgers: “I have been working hard, opportunities come from hard work. I am excited and happy to contribute to the team. It came as a surprise but to be honest I thought I would have another opportunity. I have been here twice before and I was hoping for the third time.”
The former Platinum Stars player said a bit of pressure
can help them get the goals Bafana need.
The senior national men’s side have been struggling to find the back of the net in their recent matches which also saw them bow out of the 2017 Afcon qualifiers.
“I think there’s always some sort of pressure that goes with scoring goals but as strikers, it’s our role to score the goals and obviously try to help Bafana.
“It might add a bit of pressure because it has been a problem in the previous years until now. Hopefully we can come up with a solution and help the team score more goals.
“Sometimes pressure is good, it can help bring out the best in you. We are professionals, we need to turn that pressure to some good use to do the business on the day,” he added.
