CAPE TOWN – Kermit Erasmus was blunt in his assessment of his performance so far this season.
The Cape Town City striker, who earned a call-up to the Bafana Bafana squad last week, has scored two goals in City’s five matches. It’s a decent return, but Erasmus isn’t overly pleased by it.
“No, not really, I haven’t reached the level I want to be,” Erasmus said. “We have only played a handful of games. I am just trying to build on this start and improve with every game. Even if I reach the level I want to be at, I’ll always be looking to improve to try and do better. There are games where we could have done better as a team but it’s part of the game, hopefully we can push each other at training to do better.”
Kermit Erasmus of Cape Town City takes on George Maluleka of Kaizer Chiefs at Newlands Stadium in Cape Town on 27 August 2019. Photo: Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix
Erasmus will look to add to his tally against SuperSport United at Mbombela Stadium in the PSL on Saturday. Matsatsantsa and City have had contrasting starts to the season. SuperSport have started well, reaching the semi-finals of the MTN8 and are looking like they can fight for the league title. City have had an inconsistent start, bowing out at the first hurdle of the MTN8 and having registered just one win in the league.
The similarities between the two teams is that their strikers have a new lease on life. Erasmus and the SuperSport pair of Thamsanqa Gabuza and Bradley Grobler are in form. Erasmus credits working with Bafana’s all-time leading goal scorer - Benni McCarthy.
“Benni is a huge part of my life now,” Erasmus said. “With him being at Cape Town City is a huge reason why I chose to join the club. He is somebody I idolised as a footballer and as a person. He has helped me a lot in this short stint I have worked with him.
With my recent form, he has been motivating, encouraging and challenging me. I don’t think that there is a player who wouldn’t want to have him as a coach. For me to have him as a coach, and work with him on a daily basis, is something that I cherish. Just being on the field with him, working with him and laughing with him has pushed me to improve and be better.”
Should Erasmus continue with his good run, he will return to the Bafana squad that will take on Ghana and Sudan in November in the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations Qualifiers.
Kermit Erasmus will look to add to his tally against SuperSport United at Mbombela Stadium in the PSL on Saturday. Photo: Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix
The 29-year-old will be eager to play a starring role in the qualifiers after missing out on the continental showpiece in Egypt in June and July. Even though he was disappointed at missing out, he was proud of the team’s performance in their march to the quarter-finals.
“I have always said it before, the talent that we have in South Africa is amazing,” Erasmus said. “If we nurture the talent properly, we can be a force to be reckoned with.”