I am living my dream at Kaizer Chiefs‚ says goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma

Bruce Bvuma is living his dream having been handed a senior Kaizer Chiefs contract‚ and has never had an issue over anything else with the club‚ he claims.

It is hard to speak to Bvuma without mentioning the elephant in the room.

Chiefs’ 22-year-old goalkeeper made headlines last season more for a reported R5 000 monthly salary than making his dream debut in goal having come through Amakhosi’s development‚ playing two league games in April.

Chiefs at the time did not deny the amount.

They justified any salary Bvuma was earning as legitimate for a player who had come in as a late replacement from the youth ranks for injured Itumeleng Khune and Brilliant Khuzwayo‚ and had not been handed a senior contract yet.

This week Chiefs did give Bvuma‚ and three other promoted players‚ their senior contracts.

“Chiefs are one of the biggest teams in Africa. Many players want to be where I am today‚” Bvuma said.

“I’m very grateful. I thank God every day for helping me to come all this way and get this promotion.

“I’ve been working hard. I’ve dreamt of this promotion. So now I can say I’m living my dream. But Chiefs for me is a stepping stone to where I want to be.”

Bvuma played down any controversy over what he might have earned while still in the development ranks.

“People like talking things that they don’t know. At Chiefs we are taught how to respond to these kind of things and how to react in the media‚” the keeper said.

“So I was taught well. I didn’t even react or respond in that situation. The team reacted.

“And for me‚ I’m happy with what I’m getting. I’m happy with the team. That’s what comes first.”

Bvuma is relishing being the understudy to Khuzwayo and especially Bafana Bafana No.1 and Amakhosi captain Itumeleng Khune.

“He (Khune) is one of the best goalkeepers in the country and in Africa. I’m learning a lot from him‚” Bvuma said.

“Those two games last season were special. As a child you're always dreaming of having that first game‚ performing well‚ hearing what people say about you.

“And when that moment comes‚ it's something you never forget.”

Bvuma played in two tough games for Chiefs last season‚ the 3-2 defeat away against Cape Town City and 2-2 draw against SuperSport United at Mbombela Stadium‚ where late goals cost Chiefs results‚ and were a blow to their fading title hopes.

Bvuma is expected to be in goal when a makeshift Bafana squad faces Zambia in an away African Nations Championship second leg qualifier in Ndola on Saturday.

The two sides drew 2-2 in the first leg in East London on Saturday.

- TimesLIVE