SuperSport’s loan player Margeman’s aim is to get back to Sundowns

Things didn’t work out as planned for Grant Margeman at Mamelodi Sundowns but the defensive midfielder still has hopes of making the grade at the star-studded Chloorkop club.

The 24-year-old Margeman, who is on loan at SuperSport United, joined the Brazilians about from now-defunct Ajax Cape Town in July 2020 but was unable to establish himself in the midfield.

Though he arrived at the Downs highly-rated, given the Brazilian's quality he remained down the pecking order behind established campaigners like Andile Jali, Rivaldo Coetzee and Mothobi Mvala.

“To be honest, I think my first season at Sundowns wasn’t what I expected,” he admitted as SuperSport United prepared to host Sundowns in their DStv Premiership clash at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Friday.

Margeman, Thabang Sibanyoni and Ricardo Goss, who are all on loan at United from Sundowns, will not feature against their parent club as per the loan agreement with SuperSport.

“As a player you always want to play and be part of the team. It was frustrating not to be involved in games at Sundowns but the loan spell at Swallows last season helped me both as a person and a player.

“It [the loan at Swallows] gave me a bit of confidence and the self-belief that I am still capable of playing at this level. If you are not playing you doubt yourself and question whether you can still play at this level and for a big club.

“After the loan spell at Swallows I got the confidence back and it shows now here at SuperSport because I have been doing well. I have started the season well and I feel I can only get better as the season gains momentum,” said the player who has won two Man-of-the-Match awards this season.

Margeman said he struggled to get game time at Sundowns because of the quality in the five-time successive Premiership champions’ squad.

“Everyone is quality in the team. I had doubts in myself and also shied away a bit because I came from Ajax Cape Town in the NFD [National First Division] to the champions of the [premier] league.

“I put too much pressure on myself to show what I was about and I also got injuries and the Covid-19 situation didn’t make things any easier. It is going much better now and hopefully I can just progress from there.

“I don’t just want to be a loan player every season — the aim is to get back [to Sundowns] and help the team.

“I am at the age where I want to perform week in and week out. I feel like I am at a stage in my career where I have to put myself on the map by playing regularly and this is what I am hoping to achieve this season with SuperSport United.”

Friday night’s league Tshwane derby is a replay of Sunday’s MTN8 quarterfinal where Sundowns beat SuperSport 2-0.