Petros backs Bakari to shine

Bruce Chikuni

TENEX coach, Luke Petros, feels it will be a great achievement for Dynamos’ Jayden Bakari to score at least eight goals this season.

It has not been an explosive start for Bakari, who took home the Castle Lager Premiership’s Most Promising Player gong last season after scoring nine goals for Whawha.

He was unleashed by Petros, who was then in charge of Whawha after being rejected by the Glamour Boys despite coming through their junior ranks.

The 20-year-old, announced his arrival in the PSL by taking scoring matters into his own hands.

“I felt like I had won a cup, it was more like scoring a winner in a final,” Bakari said.

“As a striker, my job is to always score, so it felt good to get that goal. My wish is to keep on scoring. It’s been long without scoring so, this will inspire me. I believe I will work more on scoring.”

His time at Dynamos has been characterised by poor form and injuries, which saw him scoring just two goals.

Petros said:

“The boy is still young, he still has a lot to learn, but I’m really pleased that he is showing what he is capable of at a big club like Dynamos.

“He is someone who is coming from a small club (Whawha) with a different mentality as compared to what he is experiencing at Dynamos.

“I think I will see it as huge progress even if he doesn’t match his last season’s goal tally. I’m tipping him to net at least eight times in this campaign and I believe he will not disappoint

“There are many reasons which I feel might have slowed his growth. He is still adjusting and I think he is now getting into that zone where he starts to manage the pressure.

“It’s really difficult to play at Dynamos as a youngster, especially as a striker. Much is expected and this is also why some were against his decision to join the club.

“I have worked with many youngsters and I see Bakari going places because he has an eye for goal.”