Mamelodi Sundowns attacker Themba Zwane opens up to KickOff on his targets for the season and the secret to his longevity at the pinnacle of South African football.
The Brazilians have had a perfect start to the new season with four wins from four matches across all competitions, while Zwane has already registered a goal and assist in two of those encounters.
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The veteran playmaker is hoping this will set the tone for the rest of his season.
"To be honest I do have some targets. I wouldn't just start a new season without some targets. I want to improve my numbers in terms of assists and goals," Zwane told KickOff.
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"I know for sure that If I can put in maybe 15 assists and ten goals then I know definitely that I would be happy with my contribution. Then another target is to help the team win trophies of course."
Iconic #TotalEnergiesCAFCL player. Iconic @Masandawana player. ??Check Themba Zwane's entire goal list in the competition and tell us which is your favourite. ?? pic.twitter.com/khz0PzLyD4
— TotalEnergies CAFCL - TotalEnergies CAFCC ?? (@CAFCLCC) August 2, 2023
At 34, Zwane is now at the twilight of a decorated career that has included winning the CAF Champions League, multiple league titles and a plethora of individual accolades.
"You have to be consistent at Sundowns, you know they can replace you at any moment and they can buy any player they want so it's all about consistency," Zwane added.
"All these years, that's what I've been about, that's why I've been pushing myself to stay consistent and to always help always help the team win trophies because that is the culture at Sundowns.
"At Sundowns, they want trophies each and every season, it's not about playing well for five games, it's about being consistent throughout the season and winning the trophy at the end. That's the culture and the standard.
"What has helped me a lot is to watch my game and being honest with myself to say 'okay, you played well but there's always room for improvement,' I can improve on creating more chances or scoring more goals or my movement you know.
"All these things count, as well as a good recovery so I can be fresh for the next game."
When quizzed on some of the highlights of his career so far, Zwane picked last year's celebration with global sponsorship company PUMA where the midfielder was honoured with custom-made boots in celebration of a 10-year partnership.
"I can't explain how it felt. Puma is my family now. All these years, they've really made things easier for me both on and off the pitch, They've always been there for me," Zwane recalled.
"They always support me, they always push me and I want to thank Puma for taking care of me as they have. The relationship out of nowhere. They came and invested in me, they could have chosen anyone but they chose me I'm always grateful for that"
"To have my family there, my friends and colleagues there, that was one of the great moments of my career."
KickOff's quickfire questions with Themba Zwane
Childhood role model
Teko Modise
Current favourite boot
Puma Future Ultimate FG
Career highlight
Winning the CAF Champions League in 2016
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