In Gavin Hunt, at the beginning of the season, SuperSport United found the perfect coach to bring back that winning feeling to a club that has bagged three consecutive league championships before. In return, the highly-rated mentor lived up to expectation, even as so much has changed since his previous spell, and the result is CAF Confederation Cup qualification, an incredible feat. Now, having spent the 2021/22 campaign on loan with Swallows FC from Mamelodi Sundowns, Grant Margeman found both club and coach perfectly poised to rejuvenate his game. Just as well Matsatsantsa have been going the direction of youth in the last few seasons, and the 24-year-old's move appeared to have worked wonders, with his mesmerising performances aiding him to a Bafana Bafana call-up as well as a SuperSport United Player of the Season accolade. However, seeing he was on loan, there's some pondering about the future to be done. Is he ready to slug it out with the crème de la crème at Downs? Soccer Laduma's Delmain Faver spoke to the man nicknamed "Pacman".
Delmain Faver: Grant, congratulations for being crowned SuperSport United's Player of the Season after a stellar campaign on an individual as well as team note. What does this mean to you?
Grant Margeman: For me, it means a lot. It's a special award as it shows what my teammates think about my performances this (past) season. For me now, it is just to work hard and to replicate what I have done in the season gone by and to better those performances. Like I said, it's really massive for me and it shows that all the hard work I put in throughout the season is paying off. Yeah, it's a really good feeling.
DF: Coming from a loan move at Swallows FC last season, did you feel the desire to prove a point, perhaps to yourself or to your parent club Mamelodi Sundowns, that you are more than capable of playing at this level?
GM: Obviously this loan was for me to get more minutes under my belt and to regain the confidence in myself, and also to prove myself and show what type of player I am and what I can do when I am on the field. So, I have to say thank you to SuperSport for giving me an opportunity to be part of this club and, for me, like I said, it's just to improve these performances next season. I can only be thankful to the club for this opportunity and now it is up to me to prove that I can do it on a more regular basis.
DF: We imagine a lot of work has gone into firstly getting into shape and shedding the excess weight, as well as getting back to enjoying the game again and being free to express your talent on the field. Talk us through that process…
GM: Yeah, it wasn't easy at all. I have to make special mention of the conditioning coach (Kobus De Wet) because he offers so much of his time to the players, to help them get up-to-speed with their fitness. I mean, when I came here from the play-offs with Swallows, I was a bit overweight and I had to sacrifice a lot to get my body into shape and up-to-speed with the rest of the team. Some days, when you wake up at 05h30 and 06h00, you think, "Eish, do I have to get up at this time to put in so much work?" After that, you still have to train with the rest of the team. It was a tough period, to be honest, but at the end of the day, the results show. If you put in the hard work and you commit yourself to it and to improving your game and remain disciplined in the process, then it will only benefit you at the end of the day.
DF: Obviously, it is not the easiest task playing for a demanding coach like Gavin Hunt, although the overriding theme is that he is toughest on the players he has the most faith in. Have you found that to be the case?
GM: Yeah, obviously the confidence that the coach gives me on a daily basis on the training field, it's massive. A lot of people say that it's not easy to play for the teams that he coaches, but I feel like he is one of the best coaches in the country and if, as a player, you take his advice and you really listen to him, then you can only become a better player. For me, it was all about doing what he expected from me because he told me that I have the talent and I have something inside of me. Every day with him, he demanded more of me, he demanded that I got better than the day before and as the season progressed, I started to see the results in terms of my gametime, I got the Bafana Bafana call-up. So, I'm really grateful to him for the confidence that he has given me and the way he pushed me every day to become better.
DF: As we so often see with talented youth players that break into the first team as early as you did, there is all the hype surrounding you. Does being under that spotlight place a bit more pressure on you as opposed to having the freedom to grow into your game and into your career?
GM: Obviously the pressure that the coaches, the players and perhaps the club place on you as an important player in the team, I think it's a good thing because it shows that you are important to the team's cause. I wouldn't say you have to do more than the players around you, but obviously we expect everyone to give 110% in every match. For me, it shows that the team demands more from me from my Ajax (Cape Town) days. It has been positive pressure because when I am in a team where I feel important and I feel valued, I think it helps me a lot and it gives me extra motivation to go the extra mile for the team. When the guys are feeling down, it's my responsibility to cheer them up and motivate them. I would say that it's not all negative in terms of the pressure.
DF: There's a perception that players who hail from Cape Town tend to struggle a bit when they make a big move to Johannesburg. Having experienced it yourself, what is your take?
GM: I think it's just a mindset thing. A lot of people say when you move from Cape Town to Jo'burg, your football tends to dull and it's not the same level that you performed at home, but for me, it was a bit tough when I came to join Mamelodi Sundowns for the first time. It was a big step for me from Ajax in the (National) First Division (now called Motsepe Foundation Championship) to Sundowns, who were the PSL champions. I think it helped me both as a player and as a person. I'm sure you saw last season at Swallows I improved a bit, but this season, with me being more familiar with my surroundings in Jo'burg and how things are done, I feel that I have fully settled into the city and I feel very good (about) being here. My football this season has been very good, but there is always room for improvement. I think, however, that it is just a mindset thing, and I would say in recent times, the myth has been debunked because players from Cape Town are doing much better in Johannesburg – players like Lyle Lakay, who won the Defender of the Season award; Clayton Daniels is a legend here at this club. I feel like it's a matter of getting your mind focused on working hard every day and giving your best to the team. At the end of the day, you'll achieve success because you left home to do a job and you have to make it work.
DF: You obviously enjoyed a very successful season at Matsatsantsa, but as per your contract, you have to report to 132 Chloorkop, c/o Allandale Dunlop Roads for pre-season ahead of the new campaign. What does the future hold for you?
GM: Obviously this season's been a loan. I found joy again in my football at this club and I am really grateful for the opportunity they have given me, but now it's between the two clubs, Mamelodi Sundowns and SuperSport. I also have to hear from coach Rhulani (Mokwena) and what his assessment was of my loan spell and what he thinks. So, I have to hear what they say and we'll take it from there.
GRANT MARGEMAN
Date of birth: 3 June 1998
Place of birth: Cape Town, Western Cape
Nickname: Pacman
Jersey number: 23
Position: Midfielder
Club: SuperSport United (on loan)
Previous clubs: Ajax Cape Town juniors, Ajax Cape Town, Mamelodi Sundowns, Swallows FC, SuperSport United (both on loan)
Honours: 2020/21 League winner (with Sundowns), 2 Bafana Bafana caps, 3 national U23 caps, 8 national U20 caps
