Former Orlando Pirates coach Roger de Sa has shared his thoughts on the club’s new strikers, Bienvenu Eva Nga and Evidence Makgopa.
Pirates moved in for the two forwards despite the two struggling to establish themselves as prolific goal-scorers in recent seasons.
Cameroonian Eva Nga, who arrived from Chippa United, was the better of the two after scoring 10 Premier Soccer League goals last term.
That tally is his season-best, having spent his three years in the PSL. But former Baroka FC striker Makgopa managed seven goals in all competitions during the 2020/21 campaign as his best total in a single season before he scored four last terms to attract Pirates’ interest.
The two are now with the Buccaneers, whose forwards have struggled to reach double figures in recent seasons, except for Frank Mhango netting 16 league goals during the 2019/20 term.
“Everybody really struggled with goals, so everybody is looking for that special player. Sometimes it’s very costly, as you know,” De Sa told FARPost.
“I would imagine a lot of clubs, even like Pirates, would have been seriously looking outside the borders. But again, everybody is looking for that special striker.
“I think some clubs have probably decided to just focus more on the full squad and maybe more of a collective scoring effort as opposed to having your prolific 20-goal striker per season who has become very rare in our football.”
Eva Nga and Makgopa arrived at Pirates just as Mhango left for AmaZulu and Tshegofatso Mabasa moved to Sekhukhune United on loan.
With promising teenager Boitumelo Radiopane also being loaned out to Cape Town Spurs, the two acquisitions will contest for starting places up front against Kwame Peprah, Zakhele Lepasa and Terrence Dzvukamanja.
It is to be seen if new Buccaneers coach Jose Riveiro will model his game around making his strikers thrive to at least reach double numbers per season.
“But I believe Pirates were looking for the big strong number nine who can hold the ball up and cause problems upfront and help others to also score,” said De Sa.
“Maybe that’s what they want in Eva Nga; he did the job at Chippa. Chippa were struggling, and he came in for them. Before that, I know he was at Bidvest Wits for a while.
“There are not too many to choose from, they went for him, and he is good. Hopefully, his work will create competition amongst the others.”
With the transfer window closing at the end of August, another striker cannot be ruled out to sign for Pirates during the current period.
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