Striker Rhulani Manzini is thrilled to be reunited with his former club Chippa United after spending a season away playing for AmaZulu.
Manzini, 30, left the Chilli Boys during the 2016-17 season in a swap deal that saw Ayabulela Konqobe joining the Port Elizabeth-based Absa Premiership side.
“Chippa is my home, AmaZulu wanted to loan me back to Chippa but the chairman said ‘you know that I want him, not on loan, but permanently’. Both parties agreed and I came back this side,” Manzini said.
“I didn’t get much game time at AmaZulu, so here I have a chance of playing.
“That is the reason I came back, and because of the relationship I have with the team.”
Comparing the new Chippa team with the one he left a season ago, the former Cape Town Umoya player said: “This time we have a lot of quality players and people who have won a lot of things during their careers, so it’s a motivation.
“Even when they unveiled their new signings during the preseason I was like, ‘wow, this team is very strong’. So that is something that caught my attention as well.
“I thought to myself I have a good relationship with Chippa and PE is my home as well, so I didn’t hesitate in coming back.”
The striker rejoined the Chilli Boys last week and was in the squad that lost 2-1 to SuperSport United on Saturday.
He said it was a great feeling being back and he felt honoured to be in the white and blue Chippa colours again.
Manzini left Chippa as the leading goal-scorer last season with eight league goals, despite missing out at times due to injury.
Now that he is back, he hopes to repeat that kind of form but says things will not be easy this time around as competition is tight.
“As a striker you want to score goals and be a regular in the team,” Manzini said.
“The competition is always there, with the likes of Andile Mbenyane, Lerato Manzini, Kurt Lentjies and Mark Mayambela, to name a few.
“We have a lot of quality players in the team so I will always try by all means to work hard in the training session because I want to help the team get out of where we find ourselves.
“I think if we can work collectively we can get out of this position that we are in.”
He said with coach Eric Tinkler in the hot seat, things were going well within the camp.
“I think we will achieve things this season, definitely, because the mood is positive within the team,” Manzini said.
“We are ready to fight to put Chippa where we belong.”
The Chilli Boys are enjoying a week’s break after their defeat to Matsatsantsa.
Their next match is against Baroka, at East London’s Sisa Dukashe Stadium next Saturday.
Manzini said the team has been hard at work preparing for the game, hoping to clinch their first win of the season.
“We have been playing friendly games and understanding the system and the philosophy of how the coach wants us to play,” he said.
“It’s very exciting and we are ready to go and work hard.
“We know that at the end of the day we need to get out of the relegation zone.
“I think we are preparing very well. The team is looking good and we are positive that we will get a good result against Baroka.
“We believe in ourselves because we are a good team and a strong team that can compete with any side in the PSL.
“We are not here to add to the numbers. We are here to work hard and get results.
“We are more than ready to fight for the three points.”