Kaizer Chiefs striker Etiosa Ighodaro is determined to put his injury troubles behind him and make a greater impact for Amakhosi this season.
The 25-year-old endured a frustrating first campaign at Naturena, making just six appearances after a series of fitness setbacks.
However, Ighodaro believes a full pre-season has left him in a much better position to show Chiefs supporters what he can offer.
“Last season was quite frustrating for me because of injuries, but that is behind me now and I am looking forward to a great season,” Ighodaro said.
“Hopefully, you’ll see the best of me. I am pushing myself hard to make the Club and the supporters proud.”
The striker said the minutes he accumulated during pre-season were particularly valuable after spending much of last season on the sidelines.
“I really benefitted from pre-season because I didn’t play a lot last season, so I needed the minutes in the practice games to build my confidence,” he said.
Ighodaro will now be hoping to open his Chiefs goalscoring account when Amakhosi host Siwelele at Dobsonville Stadium on Sunday in the fifth round of the Betway Premiership.
Chiefs remain unbeaten after four matches and sit third on eight points, although they were held to a 2-2 draw in their previous outing.
Ighodaro admitted the team was disappointed to drop two points and is determined to see a stronger response against Siwelele, who are still searching for their first win of the season.
“Preparations are going well. We weren’t satisfied with getting only one point in our last game, and we are working hard to make sure we don’t slip up on Sunday,” he said.
The striker expects a physical encounter against Siwelele but insists Chiefs are ready for the challenge.
“Siwelele play aggressively with a lot of commitment, so we are ready for their physicality, but we believe in ourselves and our own ability to come out on top.”
Despite Chiefs’ strong start to the campaign, Ighodaro said the team is not distracted by the form of their rivals and remains focused on its own objectives.
“We don’t focus on how other teams are doing,” he said.
“We prefer to concentrate on how we want to play and what we want to achieve. We have a very good squad and a great technical team that prepares us for whichever opponent we have to face.
“Our aim is always to win the next game.”
Ighodaro has also developed a strong connection with the Amakhosi faithful and thanked supporters for their continued backing.
“To all Amakhosi fans. I am really happy for the support you are giving us. I really appreciate how you fill up the stadiums to get behind us and I hope you keep coming.”
