Kaizer Chiefs midfielder, Nkosingiphile ‘Mshini’ Ngcobo, has set his sights on establishing himself as a key member of team under new coach Fernando Da Cruz, as Amakhosi put the final touches on their preparation for Sunday afternoon’s Toyota Cup meeting with Scottland FC in Rustenburg.

The gifted playmaker played intermittently under the previous coaching regime, which rotated the engine room personnel frequently during the course of last season, and now he is determined to make himself a permanent fixture in the Starting XI.

“I am feeling good and looking forward to the new season,” he says, “My aim is always to try harder, do the right things and put all of my energy into the game, so I am eager to perform at my highest level this season.”

‘Mshini’ recently returned, along with the rest of the squad, from a highly productive training camp in Spain, where the players trained in scorching heat and played three friendly matches against foreign opposition, to get them ready for the rigours of the imminent domestic and continental season.

“The training camp went very well. Personally, I found it to be quite testing, a good challenge. I fought to become a better player, a better person,” he reveals, “Also, as a team, it was a great experience. We all got a lot out of the camp, which we ill take into the new campaign.”

Attention is firmly focused on prevailing over their Zimbabwean opponents tomorrow, a side that includes erstwhile Amakhosi stars, Knowledge Musona and Khama Billiat. Ngcobo is expecting a competitive encounter.

“We know the Toyota Cup is a pre-season event but it’s not an easy game. It’s going to be difficult but we are excited to get out there and play. I’ll be happy to meet Knowledge and Khama in the game. We are ready and it should be a good spectacle for the crowd,” he says before concluding with a message to the Amakhosi Faithful, “To all of our football loving fans, come to the stadium to watch Amakhosi. We have missed you like you have missed us. We are back in action and ready to push for success.”