STELLENBOSCH FC coach Steve Barker is grateful to have played some part in the development of Bongani Zungu after the Bafana Bafana midfielder signed for Scottish giants Glasgow Rangers from French side Amiens a few days ago.
Barker said that to be coached at Rangers by Liverpool icon Steven Gerrard will be a surreal moment for the Duduza-born Zungu.
After Amiens were controversially relegated in the French Ligue 2 last season, Zungu finally left the club to join Rangers on loan until the end of the season.
Rangers, who have won the Scottish league 54 times, have inserted a clause in the deal with the option to sign him permanently at the end of this season.
“I’m very happy that another South African will play for one of the biggest clubs in the world. I’m proud of his achievements,” said Barker.
Barker signed the unknown Zungu from Dynamos when he was the coach of University of Pretoria at the beginning of the 2012-13 season in what was the club’s first season in the Premiership after Tuks gained promotion.
In that season, Zungu helped Tuks finish in the top eight.
Zungu was transferred to Mamelodi Sundowns the following season in a swap deal that involved Buhle Mkhwanazi and Siyabonga Ngubane.
At Sundowns, Zungu’s stock continued to rise.
He won the league twice, Nedbank Cup and Telkom Knockout trophy. He will be remembered for scoring the winning penalty in the Ke Yona Cup against Ajax Cape Town in Port Elizabeth in May 2015. Zungu has scored four goals for Bafana in 29 appearances.
“It is nice to know that one played a part in his growth. I brought him to Tuks and he had a good season and moved on to Sundowns and the rest, as they say, is history,” added Barker.
Zungu left Sundowns in 2016 to join Portuguese side Vitória Guimaraes SC, where he spent one season before joining Amiens in 2017.
Zungu should have left the French side in January but the move was blocked by the club at the last minute after they couldn’t find a replacement for the midfielder.
At Rangers, who are currently on top of the Scottish Premier League, Zungu will also play in the Uefa Europa League after Gerrard’s side qualified for the group stages.
“I’m sure Bongani would have grown up watching players like Steven Gerrard and looked up to him as a role model because he was an iconic footballer for England and for Liverpool,” added Barker.
