It may have taken a while, but Orlando Pirates midfielder Collins Makgaka is finally coming into his own after receiving high praise from the team’s first team coach Fadlu Davids.
Pirates have been blessed with phenomenal midfield talent in years gone by with the likes of Teko Modise, Thembinkosi Lorch and Mpho Makola at the very top of that list.
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There was hope and expectation that Makgaka would follow in those famous footsteps after being roped in from Baroka FC last season, although his adaptation to life at the Soweto giants has been relatively slow.
However, it appears that the midfielder has now turned the corner at the club and put in a sterling performance in their 3-0 midweek win over Stellenbosch, scoring a goal – his first for the club, and setting up one more.
The performance left a lasting impression on Davids who lauded the 25-year-old for his passing ability and knack for playing in between opposition lines, something that the Buccaneers have desperately been searching for in games gone by.
“Collins was absolutely fantastic today [Wednesday] in terms of his calmness in between the lines, number one. But, also then finding players in between defence lines and if he has the ball, you are guaranteed to get a one-on-one. If you make the correct run, the ball will find you,” Davids told the club’s media after the match.
With the likes of Thembinkosi Lorch and Ben Motshwari and Zakhele Lepasa returning to full fitness, it remains to be seen if the playmaker can maintain his place in the team and build on his inspiring performances.
