Grobler will break PSL scoring record, says former coach Da Gama

Bradley Grobler’s first Premier Soccer League coach, Owen Da Gama, believes the striker will eventually become the competition’s all-time leading scorer.

Grobler moved into second place on the PSL’s scoring list after his equaliser for Stellenbosch FC against Sekhukhune United in Cape Town. The goal took the 38-year-old beyond the total of South African football great Siyabonga Nomvethe.

Grobler has scored 130 PSL goals and is now pursuing Peter Shalulile, who leads the standings with 134. Shalulile left Mamelodi Sundowns for Tanzanian club Yanga SC.

The Stellenbosch FC forward needs five more goals to become the record scorer in PSL history. Da Gama, who coached both Grobler and Shalulile at the beginning of their PSL careers, says the milestone remains within reach.

“Bradley Grobler started with Silver Stars. We were already in the Premier League; he was there with Thuso Phala and Vaughn Milner. I promoted them from the reserve side team,” Da Gama told KickOff.

Silver Stars FC later changed their name to Platinum Stars FC. Grobler scored his first PSL goal in 2007, having initially been sent out on loan to gain experience.

“A season before that, we loaned him to BK Callies, a team in the Vodacom League. We simply told them, ‘Just go out there and enjoy yourselves, play your normal game.’ He was 18 or 19 at the timeyoung. Give him one chance, and he will score. He was just born to score.”

Da Gama said Grobler was promoted from the reserve team alongside Phala and Vaughn Milner, with the youngsters given the opportunity to establish themselves at senior level.

“We threw him into the deep end and told him to play his football and see where it takes him. Bradley will definitely break the scoring record. It’s just that Peter Shalulile achieved this in a shorter period in the PSL, while it took Bradley longer. Remember, at some point, he left for overseas. When he returned, he played for Ajax Cape Town.”

According to Da Gama, injuries have been the main obstacle in Grobler’s pursuit of the record. He believes the striker could have reached the mark earlier had he avoided those setbacks.

“The biggest setback for Bradley was just that he was very unlucky with injuries. Otherwise, he would have broken this record long ago. I believe it will still happenBradley still has three seasons to play in the PSL.”