Samir Nurkovic Kaizer Chiefs

Samir Nurkovic. Photo: Archives

Chiefs striker ‘Kokota Piano’ wants to make fans happy again

Chiefs’ Serbian striker Samir Nurkovic says he is desperate to make up for lost time as he returns from injury.

Samir Nurkovic Kaizer Chiefs

Samir Nurkovic. Photo: Archives

Nurkovic underwent surgery in late September 2021, and spent some recovery time in his home country of Serbia, but he has now completed his injury rehabilitation with Chiefs at Naturena.

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The striker, who is nicknamed “Kokota Piano” by supporters after the Amapiano track by Bizizi and Kaygee Daking, could even get a run for Kaizer Chiefs in their Nedbank Cup last-32 outing against TS Galaxy at FNB Stadium on Sunday

“I’m happy to be back with the boys on the field. We’ve been working hard preparing for the next match in the Nedbank Cup. I think we are ready,” Nurković said, as quoted by Sowetan Live.

“I’m still working hard to get into the best possible shape and where I used to be. It requires a lot of work but it will be there soon.

“It’s been painful watching these games on the sidelines and on TV. Everybody knows me as the ‘Kokota Piano’ since the first game I played for Kaizer Chiefs, so I can’t wait to make my fans in the Amakhosi family happy again.”

The Chiefs playmaker has only scored three goals in the past campaign

The Serbian forward made a highly encouraging start to his Chiefs career after signing three seasons ago, but he has battled to maintain that sort of form in more recent times.

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Nurkovic has also revealed how the knee injury blighted his progress.

“The injury actually happened at the end of last season; we were playing [CAF] Champions League second leg against Wydad Casablanca. I consulted with the doctors and the physios and we decided to keep going with some treatment so to leave surgery as a last option.

“As you saw, that wasn’t my best game that I was playing after that. I was struggling on the field with an injury then after five games, we decided that we have to do surgery,” he added.

“We knew in the beginning after that game, we did all the MRI [scans] I was in the hospital for all the screening, and they found out that there was a tear in my lateral meniscus, and you can play with that – but you cannot play on 100%. I was maybe at 70% and I wasn’t able to give the best Samir Nurkovic to the team on the field and to help them the way I can.”

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