BY FORTUNE MBELE NEWLY-SIGNED Orlando Pirates striker Terrence Dzvukamanja (pictured) has set high targets for himself at the club but ultimately he wants to use the platform as a springboard to Europe. Dzvukamanja (26), who had a good season at Bidvest Wits, which sold its franchise to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandula, says playing in Europe was his ultimate goal. But to achieve that, he has to succeed at Pirates. “I want to make a difference here and, if all goes well, hopefully I can achieve another goal of mine, which is to one day play in Europe,” Dzvukamanja said on the club’s official website. The former Ngezi Mine striker said he was not at Pirates to add numbers, but to do what he was employed to do, “that is to score goals”. “For me, its two-fold, it’s about scoring goals; hopefully double digit and also about increasing my number of assists for the season. I think as an attacking player, these are two areas where a player is judged,” Dzvukamanja said. “I don’t want to see myself as somebody who came to Orlando Pirates just to add numbers. I have come here to work, and this is what I hope shows in my performances.” He said mostly it was personal targets that motivate players on a daily basis. During his stint at The Clever Boys, Dzvukamanja found the net 15 times and provided six assists in 60 appearances and hopes to raise the bar at Pirates. Dzvukamanja had also attracted the interest of Mamelodi Sundowns’ former coach Pitso Mosimane, who resigned at the champions side on Wednesday to join Egyptian giants Al Ahly as head coach. When football resumed in South Africa in August and Dzvukamanja scored a brace in the 3-2 defeat to Sundowns in the semi-final of the Nedbank Cup, ex-Bidvest Wits coach Gavin Hunt, now at Kaizer Chiefs, wondered why the striker had not been grabbed by any of the big clubs in the country. In his own words, Hunt said: “I am amazed that nobody has snatched him up, fantastic young player, Man of the Match against Sundowns, besides the two goals he was outstanding, played very well for us.” Following the demise of Bidvest Wits, Pirates also snatched Thulani Hlatshwayo and Deon Hotto from the Clever Boys. Dzvukamanja joined Bidvest Wits from Ngezi Platinum Stars in 2018 and Pirates becomes his second home in South Africa.
