It is now just over 3 months since Bongani Zungu signed for Rangers.
The South African international midfielder has shown glimpses of quality and ability in his time so far, but he is still striving toward his best and a sustained run in the Rangers team.
Players should always be allowed some time to settle in a new culture and environment. This process has been made more difficult for the player due to the Covid pandemic and its implications for all but nonetheless, Zungu is determined to make the most of this chance and to earn a permanent contract at Ibrox.
He was speaking to a radio station in his native county, as featured by Glasgow Live.
The 28 year old said, “I’m enjoying my football and I’m happy with my life. Rangers make life easy for me, especially in this Covid times when you could get lonely. They have been great to me.”
“I’m being managed by childhood idol, Steven Gerrard and I’m being given an opportunity to play in Europe. Even when I left Mamelodi Sundowns years ago I said my ambition was always to play in European competition. I’m now playing for a team that always wants to win games and there’s always pressure to perform and I love that.”
“I love big games and I’ve been given an opportunity to play that here.”
“It’s going to take me a bit of time to settle because it’s very cold here and I’m still understanding tactics and getting to know what the coach wants. The team keeps winning games and they are full of quality. The standard of player at Rangers is very high. Sometimes when you get a new player arriving, it helps the other players to kick on too. I’m looking to keep learning and in time, I hope I can start every game. I am confident that will be very soon.”
Zungu has featured for the Gers 11 times so far this term, across all competitions. He is still learning but that will have to happen ‘on the job’. As we approach the business end of season, the games get even more important and he will have to meet and surpass the demands set by his manager, Steven Gerrard.
Demands
“We call him the gaffer. He’s very demanding.” said the on loan Amiens player.
“When you look at the kind of player he was, he had everything and had a big personality and he’s still like this. I followed him as a youngster and when I signed he said he saw something in me that was like him. That was very humbling.”
“He’s a very demanding coach who takes every game seriously and pays a lot of attention to detail. He likes players who are humble, you need to be a gentleman.
“Off the pitch, we must mind what we say to the media, mind what we post, he’s very strict and knows everything.
“I’ve been there a few months now and I’ve learned so much from him. As a midfielder, we do have one-on-one discussions and I ask him about movement.”
“It’s all about working hard every day for me. I’m trying my best to go as high as I can.”
Bongani Zungu is certainly saying the right things and knows what is required. It is up to him now to impress in order to make his mark on the team to win a long-term deal.