A player who loves critics

Surprise Moriri has a strange philosophy - hardly surprising for a guy with his moniker.

The Bafana Bafana midfielder-cum-striker says he needs an element of adversity, and critics, to do well.

An example of Moriri's surprising contrariness came during preparations for the 2009 Fifa Confederations Cup.

He had to pull out of the Bafana squad because of a strained ligament which put him out of action for six months. For a while he thought his World Cup dream was in tatters; he feared he would not get the chance to represent South Africa at the global showpiece.

It was a time for introspection. Would he be the same player when he returned to action? How long would it take to heal?

"Initially, I was very worried about the injury," he said. "But I knew I had to work hard and stay focused if I was to succeed.

"I never lost hope and came back. I would never have done it without the support of family, my teammates at Mamelodi Sundowns and in the national squad, the doctors and the medical team, who were brilliant throughout.

"Life is not always smooth sailing and you have to use these mishaps to be better at what you do and come out even stronger.

"To do well you have to turn adversity into something positive. If you allow such situations to take over your life, your condition may not improve and this, in turn, will impact negatively on your career."

This mantra was put to the test following his return to the Sundowns squad and his call-up to the national team camp.

Sectors of the media and hard-to-please Bafana fans questioned coach Carlos Alberto Parreira's selection of Moriri, lamenting his lacklustre performances for his club.

But Parreira and his technical team stuck to their guns and Moriri was with the squad in Brazil, Germany and now at the local camp.

Moriri said the critics kept him going. "I would be very worried if people didn't say anything. Everybody has a right to say what they like. I didn't allow this to break me and I worked hard at training. Their criticism was a motivation for me to work even harder."

Last week, like a stealth bomber, Moriri struck and delivered a crisp, low and hard drive in the match against Jamaica as the game was about to slide into another goalless yawn.

Used by coaches as a second striker or attacking midfielder, Moriri also scored against Ponte Preta during the Brazil camp in March.

Moriri, 30, who made his debut for Bafana in a friendly against Lesotho in October 2003, has a tendency of scoring beautiful, crucial goals. He netted a memorable chest control and acrobatic volley in a 3-0 victory over Paraguay in 2008.

"It was a special goal and I really felt good that day. But that goal is history," he said.

A year earlier, Moriri scored after 1min 30sec to give his team the lead in a friendly against a full-strength Barcelona side.

Sundowns signed him from Silver Stars during the 2003/04 season and he played a vital role, with 11 goals, in their winning the league to end Kaizer Chiefs' two-year run as champions.

He was crowned player of the season and players' player of the season for 2005/06, pocketing R220000 for the awards. He also won awards at Sundowns that season.

Moriri said the camps in Germany and Brazil have enabled Bafana to forge a strong bond.

"When you are away from home, you realise that you need the person next to you. It also gives the coach the idea of how different players cope when they are away from home."

The camps, he said, helped players stay focused. "They gave us a better understanding of the coach's philosophy. It also helped us build an identity as a team and to learn to respond to different kinds of teams."

Despite his confidence, Moriri was also cautious. "There is still a long way to go, 30-something days before the World Cup. Anything can happen.

"I've learnt the hard way and don't want to relax.

"From this squad of 29, the coach still has to pick 23 players. The coach has always preached to us to take it one step at a time. Our opening game against Mexico is crucial. We've got to believe we can pass the group stage."

Parreira and his technical team know what an on-form Moriri can deliver. But the player's destiny remains firmly in his hands.

Fact file

Full name: Surprise Mohlomolleng Moriri.

Date and place of birth: March 20 1980 in Matibidi, Mpumalanga

Honours: PSL Player of Year and Players' Player of Year 2005/2006

First club: Silver Stars.

Youth career: Wattville Watford Brothers

Nickname: Masterpieces.