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By Tshepo Ntsoelengoe

Football Journalist


Murray having a ball at Wits

After a few months, the Scotsman is happy at the club and already has three goals to his name in his last six appearances for the Johannesburg outfit.


Bidvest Wits striker Simon Murray says when he decided to come all the way from Scotland to South Africa, it was all about competing and helping the club win trophies.

He was talking ahead of their Telkom Knockout clash with Free State Stars at Goble Park on Saturday.

The 26-year old striker’s contract with Scottish club Hibernian was about to end when a South African agent told him about Wits’ interest in him.

After a few months, the Scotsman is happy at the club and already has three goals to his name in his last six appearances for the Johannesburg outfit.

“The opportunity came along for me to come across to South Africa and it was quite exciting for me to come and see how it goes.

“When I met the representatives of the club it wasn’t a case of just coming here and finishing off a season and have a jol.

“It was all about coming here to compete and try to win things with the club,” said Murray.

READ: Wits striker set goal target for the season

“The agent got in contact with me and said Wits are interested.

“I met Jose Ferreira, we had a talk about it and the way he put it across it sounded good to me.

“I came here and I am not disappointed with the way they go about business.”

Before moving to Wits, though, Murray admits that he didn’t know much about the Absa Premier Soccer League, but he did know about Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.
“We all know about Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates because they are big teams and we see them on Fifa.

“Apart from that I never knew a great deal about South African football. But I knew players such as Benni McCarthy. He trained a bit with Hibernian because his wife is from Scotland. And Steven Pienaar.

“And obviously, I watched the World Cup when it was here, the fans, the vuvuzelas and they make it quite a good atmosphere.”

 

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