Rushine de Reuck settles down to life at champions Mamelodi Sundowns

Rushine de Reuck has successfully acclimatised to the busy life at title-chasing Mamelodi Sundowns and his sights are firmly set on the DStv Premiership and the Caf Champions League.

Since he arrived at Chloorkop in January‚ the defender has established himself as one of the key central defenders for the Brazilians where he has partnered Ricardo Nascimento‚ Mosa Lebusa and Brian Onyango.

He has featured in 24 matches in all competitions and will be vital for Manqoba Mngqithi‚ Steve Komphela and Rulani Mokwena in their last four league matches and during the Champions League quarterfinal against Al Ahly in Cairo on Saturday.

“At Sundowns things are a lot different compared to Maritzburg United, where I used to play once a week‚” he said as Sundowns prepared to face Pitso Mosimane’s Al Ahly.

“Now we play two or three times a week‚ but this is what you want to be part of as a player — and challenge for trophies.

“I am a very ambitious person and I want to fight for all the trophies that are available and I know I can achieve that here at Sundowns. I am happy to be here‚ I am working as hard as I can but I know it is going to take time because I believe my best is yet to come.”

De Reuck finds himself in a unique situation as he left Maritzburg United deep in relegation quagmire but is about to win his first league championship with Sundowns.

“It just shows you that anything is possible. I was fighting relegation at Maritzburg, but here at Sundowns things are a little bit different because everybody wants to win every trophy that is available. I am happy to be in this type of environment because it pushes you as a player to be at your best all the time.

“Obviously you need to adapt and things like that. Luckily the guys welcomed me very well and it made it easy to get used to travelling all over the continent. I have embraced this heavy schedule, which is something new to me.”

De Reuck added that competition for places is tough but he is challenging himself to get starting places.

“Competition is tough, to be honest, and I knew about that. I knew before coming here that competition is going to be my biggest challenge because there are players in the team who are as good as me, or even better. I know that I can also get better here at Sundowns because of the coaches that we have‚” he said, adding that the frequent changing of central defensive partners has not affected him badly.

“The most important thing is to build relationships with someone, so that on the field it is not that hard. We have a good relationship at the back because we support each other and we want the best for each other.”