Seema Places Trust in Nurkovic to Bounce Back

Lehlohonolo Seema, Siwelele’s coach, highlighted the crucial role that seasoned players play in helping younger teammates adapt to competitive football, while expressing optimism about Samir Nurkovic’s return to form.

Siwelele features one of the most seasoned attacking line-ups in the Betway Premiership, showcasing talents like Vincent Pule, Christian Saile, Nurkovic, and Zakhele Lepasa under Seema’s guidance.

The Bloemfontein squad showcased strong determination against Orlando Pirates in the Carling Knockout round of 16 but fell to a stunning last-minute strike from Mbekezeli Mbokazi at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

“Combining experience with youth is beneficial, although many players are still lacking essential playing time, so our growth will require patience,” Seema commented about his experienced players.

“We are grateful for their contributions to the team, as they use their experience to mentor our younger talents,” he added.

The former Sekhukhune United coach expressed enthusiasm about Nurkovic potentially returning to the form he displayed during his early tenure at Kaizer Chiefs.

“Seeing him enjoying himself on the pitch is heartening. In my initial week of training, it was clear he was making strides,” Seema remarked.

The 33-year-old Serbian forward joined Siwelele during the team’s reorganization from SuperSport United, marking his fifth club in South Africa since arriving in July 2019.

“He looks content and revitalized, ready to reclaim his peak performance,” Seema stated regarding the Serbian striker.

The Siwelele manager believes that the combination of youth and experience within the squad will lead to positive outcomes when they face Kaizer Chiefs away after the international break.