Even though he was a known admirer of striker Jeremy Brockie before Mamelodi Sundowns finally caught him as a big fish earlier this week, coach Pitso Mosimane still argues the proof will be in the pudding.
The New Zealand forward is likely to make his debut for the Brazilians this evening in a Premiership clash at home against Platinum Stars and it’s a much-anticipated appearance by both the player and his new coach.
“You know what I would love to see from Brockie? I hope he adjusts quickly,” said Mosimane this week.
“There is nothing else I am going to teach him. No, really, what am I going to teach him? How to score a goal? We will deliver the ball and he has to do the job.”
Brockie, 30, did that with distinction at SuperSport United, where he scored 54 goals in 119 matches. That’s and impressive rate.
“Who else in the PSL can score that many goals? That is almost a goal every two games. All he has to do is to free himself and not be disturbed,” Mosimane explained.
“We hope to see what he has done over the last three years.”
A slight concern for the new Sundowns goal ace is the fact that he hasn’t managed to squeeze the ball into the back of the net since October, and his body language in the final weeks at SuperSport told a story of a player who lacked confidence.
“I don’t know what it was,” said Mosimane.
“I also noticed that he was often isolated at SuperSport because of the way they play now, with three midfielders and one striker.
“So maybe when he has Percy (Tau) next to him he will be totally different.
“I don’t think he is the kind of striker that plays alone. He needs support, otherwise you are going to kill him.
“A striker who plays alone needs to be very quick, able to decide what to do on their own or can dribble their way out of trouble. He is not that.”
Sundowns had to trigger Brockie’s R15 million release clause (although that figure might have been negotiated down) to get him to cross the floor from their Tshwane rivals, and the statistics really do speak for themselves and justify why he has been the best striker in the PSL over the past three season.
“When you bring in a foreigner, he has to be special and something that you don’t already have,” Mosimane said.
“Who in this country has scored 54 goals in 119 games except Jeremy Brockie? You might make a mistake (buying him), but it’s a good mistake, if it’s a mistake.
“The guy is still scoring. When we go to play in Africa (CAF tournaments), we complain that white people will struggle.
“Mosquito bites, it’s too hot and all of that. The guy went there with SuperSport and scored 10 goals, becoming the top goal scorer.
“He ticks all my boxes and after watching the training session, I am confident to say for now I have not made a mistake because he is exactly what I need.
“We have players who can dismantle the opponent, but we need someone to score.”
No pressure then, Jeremy.