Nurkovic's commitment to Amakhosi's cause is unquestionable

It took a few minutes to convince Samir Nurkovic to talk about the Soweto derby when he had other business to focus on this week.

The struggle to win Nurkovic's voice on the derby was reminiscent of his well-known aggressive nature to win the ball on the field of play, where he's been like an untamed hyena that doesn't back off from those in its way.

Had it not been for the sound advice he received from his experienced teammate Bernard Parker, Nurkovic may have sat out as many Kaizer Chiefs matches on suspension because of his volatile temper.

But as the Serbia-born striker readjusts and settles down to speak about the derby, a glint of a wry but welcoming smile illuminates his face.

After all, he's eager to make a telling impact in the derby after his strike partner Leonardo Castro grabbed all the headlines after scoring three goals in two outstanding derbies towards the end of last year.

Two of Castro's goals came in that breathtaking 3-2 smash-and-grab league win over Bucs in November - a game that gave Nurkovic a first taste of playing in front of a 90,000 sell-out crowd.

He was used to just 200 fans in the stands in the Slovakian second division league where the 27-year-old marksman's 23 league goals for KFC Komarno last season won Chiefs' signature.

"This (derby) really is an amazing feeling for me. I think it's every player's dream to play in front of 90,000 people and I'm really happy to be part of it.

"We're meeting a good team (Pirates), good coach (Josef Zinnbauer), but for us it's important to respect every opponent and not look too much at other teams.

"We just have to look at ourselves and do our best," is Nurkovic's immediate response when asked about the derby and in-form Bucs who come to Saturday's match on the back of six league wins in a row and six points behind Chiefs.

The same cannot be said of Nurkovic's team whose lead at the top of the Absa Premiership was cut to four points by reigning champions Mamelodi Sundowns this week.

"These things happen in the biggest clubs in the world," Nurkovic says of Chiefs losing momentum in their chase for the first league title in five years after a shock 2-1 defeat at home against Maritzburg United last week.

"I think we played well in that game (Maritzburg) and had a lot of opportunities. But sometimes the ball just doesn't want to go in. This is the time that we have to stick together. I'm an optimist and I think we just need to continue with the same fighting spirit and we'll see in the end."

His commitment to Amakhosi's cause is unquestionable, having slotted in 11 league goals for Chiefs, most of them headers from Lebogang Manyama set-pieces.

With Chiefs faltering of late and their tactics deemed one-dimensional as they are overly reliant on dead-ball situations, Nurkovic defended coach Ernst Middendorp.

"I think if you're good in something you just need to continue. If you're getting goals, why not? I don't really read a lot of these critics and stuff, I really don't care.

"I just know that we have the best supporters and they're always with us whether we lose or win."

Pushed on whether a plan B is an option as teams seem to have figured out their strategy, Nurkovic maintained that as players they'll leave it to their coach to devise a new plan.

"This is up to the coach to decide. The players are just there on the pitch to do what the coach is asking."

Nurkovic's remark provides a clue to Chiefs' limitations - players feel far too restricted to do things differently from the coach's script.

Form does not always dictate the outcome of the derby and Nurkovic urged Amakhosi fans to push them.

"This is a game which is not about individuals. It's about the team and so I'm urging our supporters not to give up on us."

hadebes@sundaytimes.co.za