Despite a slow start at Siwelele FC, coach Lehlohonolo Seema is confident
that striker Samir Nurkovic can return to the form that made him a star at
Kaizer Chiefs.
Speaking after his team’s narrow 1-0 Carling Knockout defeat to Orlando
Pirates, Seema highlighted a significant positive shift in the Serbian
striker’s attitude. He revealed that when he first arrived at the club,
Nurkovic seemed to be “dragging himself to work,” but now appears happy
and energetic on the field.
“This is his second game. It was unfortunate that in his first game he got
red-carded in the first half,” Seema acknowledged, noting that a lack of
recent game time has affected the player’s sharpness. “But I can tell you
that there are a lot of positives in him… We are going to use him
according to his strength, and I think today we saw bits and pieces of
that.”
Seema also discussed his broader team-building strategy, which focuses on
blending experienced players with youth. He urged for patience, explaining
that the team is still in a development phase.
Compounding the challenge, Seema revealed that the squad’s depth is
currently being tested. “We have three starters that are with the
Under-20s now… so we are not cooking yet, and people should wait,” he
said.
Using a cooking metaphor to describe the process, the coach concluded:
“Don’t put the stoves on yet, we are still watering. Every game that we
play, you see a lot of positives in the team.”
