Fortune Makaringe of Orlando Pirates (Pic/ BackpagePix)
The former Maritzburg United player was included in the provincial 30-man squad, but was left out of the traveling 23-man team that went to the North African country and got knocked out in the quarterfinals of the Afcon by Nigeria.
“It wasn’t about me, but the nation. So, I felt that whoever was chosen deserved to be there. We all deserved to be there, but all of 30 couldn’t go and represent the country. It had to be 23 players and unfortunately I wasn’t part of the 23,” said the new Pirates player.
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Having moved from the Team of Choice to the Buccaneers, Makaringe believes his chances of getting into the national team are much higher. But know that he first needs to win a place in the starting line-up at Bucs and perform consistently.
“It gives me a challenge to push myself more because I don’t push myself to play, how am I going to make the national team? I need to be in the national team, so I have to take this challenge, learn as much as possible and be ready to execute whatever skill I’m given in order to get my chance to be in the national team which is one of the advantages of playing in a team like Orlando Pirates. If you do well, you get a call-up.”
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