Muhsin Ertugral can instantly switch from a murderous rage to a guy who looks like he dresses up kittens.
Tendai Ndoro didn’t even want to look the Orlando Pirates coach in the eye in the first half of their 3-1 win over Golden Arrows on Wednesday when he played a stray pass moments after missing a golden opportunity.
Ertugral’s face had wrath written all over it, which is why Ndoro avoided it. But at half-time, there was no place to hide for the Zimbabwean forward.
“I had a go at him at half-time,” Ertugral said with a smile, showing his soft side.
Ndoro reacted instantly, scoring three minutes into the second half. He went on to score the first hat-trick of the season in the Buccaneers’ first league match. Last season’s five hat-tricks only came in the second half of the season.
In January Bidvest Wits’ James Keene and Polokwane City’s Thobani Mncwango, who hit the back of the net four times when they thumped SuperSport United 4-1, scored the first two hat-tricks. Golden Arrows’ Gabadinho Mhango and Lerato Manzini at Chippa United followed it up before Anthony Laffor scored the last of the season in May to help Mamelodi Sundowns win the league, against University of Pretoria.
Ndoro’s rich vein of form also started in January when he was finally given a chance after spending the first half of the season side-lined. But his goals are like floods, they come down in bucket-loads and then dry up. If he becomes more consistent then the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot will be his.
“You could see the first goal that it was something from training,” Ndoro said. “The coach always tells me to time my runs. I shouldn’t just run to the near post when the player who will cross the ball isn’t ready to do so.
“All three goals are from the training grounds.
“So, if we follow the tactics well, we will be lethal upfront. There was an opportunity I had in the first half when I should have scored but I wasn’t in the right area.
“The coach asked me at half-time: What are you doing? Why aren’t you in the box like I told you?”
“I was down a bit after that. But the first goal returned my confidence. We are lucky to have such a great coach. It doesn’t mean that since I have scored three goals, then I can relax because if I don’t deliver in the next game I will be chased away.
“He pushes me to excel. Dry spells are normal for any striker but because of the support from my teammates and the trust the technical team gives me, I’ll be able to get over it.”
If Ndoro dares to have a dry spell, then Ertugral will be forced to pull out that menacing stare of his that’s followed by harsh words. It could just be what Ndoro needs, with plenty of talent that shines when he is pushed. Ertugral is now playing him to his strength.
He has stopped the Carling Black Label Cup experiment of using him as a target man.
Ndoro is allowed to float all over the place, with his runs carefully monitored so that he has the simple job of just putting the ball at the back of the net from inviting passes.
“He has such great quality,” Ertugral said. “I had a long chat with him before the start of the season on the potential he has. He doesn’t know himself. It’s quite amazing the possibilities that he has.
“The 20-goal mark, he has to reach that this season. We put that target for him.” - The Star