Rulani Mokwena played 'huge role' in Bongani Zungu joining Sundowns

Even when he is back to full fitness, Bongani Zungu is not expecting to walk straight into the Mamelodi Sundowns starting line-up and command a regular place.

Zungu returned to Chloorkop unfit and lacking match fitness in August after mixed success in his six seasons spent in Europe where he turned out for Vitória Guimarães SC in Portugal, Amiens SC in France and Rangers in Scotland.

Sundowns' players are on a short break during the suspension of domestic football for the Fifa World Cup, but will resume training as the resumption approaches.

During this period Zungu is working with fitness trainers in his bid to regain sharpness when the DStv Premiership starts on New Year’s Eve with a blockbuster clash against Orlando Pirates at Loftus.

“There is a lot of depth at Sundowns and it is not just Andile [Jali] I am competing with for a place,” Zungu said.

“There’s Sphelele Mkhulise, Sipho Mbule and Teboho Mokoena, who are really good for the team.”

Zungu also responded to suggestions that Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena is unlikely to play him and Jali in the same line-up due to their similarities.

“It is not about me and 'AJ' [Jali], it’s about the team, because at the end of the day we want to win and leave our mark and I want to leave a good legacy on Hlompho Kekana’s number [8].

“I don’t understand [why people are saying I can’t play with Jali] because we played together in the past at Bafana Bafana under coach Shakes Mashaba.”

Another central midfielder who is back in the reckoning to increase the intense competition at Sundowns is Rivaldo Coetzee, who has fully recovered from a hernia injury that kept him out of action for almost a year.

Zungu also revealed that he returned to Sundowns because of the influence of Mokwena who has been pushing the player at training in his mission to reach peak fitness.

“Actually, he played a huge role in bringing me to Sundowns because I had other options. I always tell coach Rulani that, 'You are always not happy' — he wants more and more from me and he told me that before he went to the media to say he was not happy with me.

“I know that he demands more and more from me and I just have to work extra hard and when I do get an opportunity to play I must just play and do what is expected of me.”