New Orlando Pirates signing Andre de Jong has set his sights on helping the Buccaneers end their long wait for a league title, expressing confidence that the club has what it takes to challenge this season.
The New Zealand international joined Pirates during the January transfer window and admits the timing of the move came with its challenges, but says the excitement of joining one of South Africa’s biggest clubs outweighed everything else.
De Jong is one of the three Pirates signings during the January transfer, the others are Daniel Msendami and Mpho Chabatsane.
“I’m extremely excited to join Orlando Pirates,” De Jong told the club’s media team.
“It’s obviously tough moving in January, but I’m really looking forward to getting games under my belt and contributing to the team going forward.”
De Jong is no stranger to the Buccaneers, having faced them several times during his stint with Stellenbosch FC.
The talented forward gives Orlando Pirates a much-needed boost upfront, especially in the number 10 position
“While playing for Stellenbosch, we contested a couple of finals against Pirates, so when they showed interest, I was very excited,” he said. “This is a really exciting chapter for me. Pirates have enjoyed a lot of success over the past few seasons, and hopefully I can add to that success.”
With Pirates sitting at the top of the Betway Premiership log at the break, the striker believes the club has a genuine opportunity to end a 14-year league title drought.
De Jong a perfect signing for Orlando Pirates
“I think every club’s goal is to win the league,” De Jong explained.
“We’re in a great position at the moment, sitting top of the log, and during this break we’ve been pushing really hard.
“There are also expectations from the fans to break the drought, and hopefully we can do that this season.”
On a personal level, De Jong says his focus is firmly on contributing to the collective success of the team.
“My main goal is to help the team as much as possible,” the new Orlando Pirates man added.
“Of course, I’d love to win the league – that’s a big goal for everyone at the club.
“I also want to score goals and contribute going forward. Pirates have a strong pressing culture and a solid defensive structure, so for me it’s about giving my all whenever I play and helping the team win matches.”
Orlando Pirates resume their Betway Premiership against Sekhukhune United on Saturday (24 January).