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Mobara 'needed to leave comfort zone'

Cape Town - Newly-signed Orlando Pirates defender Abbubaker Mobara says he felt the need for new challenges after settling into a bit of a comfort zone at Ajax Cape Town.

Mobara spent three seasons as a regular in the Ajax first team, having risen up through the club's famed academy ranks.

Along with former Urban Warriors team-mate Riyaad Norodien, Mobara recently completed the move up to Johannesburg after signing for the Buccaneers, and says he is now looking forward to testing his capabilities in new surroundings.

"I didn’t think twice about making the move to Joburg. Personally, I think this is a move in the right direction for me and my career. I was beginning to settle into a comfort zone at Ajax and I needed a new challenge.

"I have been with Ajax Cape Town since the age of 10 years so I am grateful for everything they have done for me but I am now entering a new chapter in my life and to do it with a big club like Orlando Pirates is a huge honour, I will wear the Buccaneer colours with pride," he told the club's website.

Mobara will be reuniting with head coach Muhsin Ertugral, as well as with some of the Pirates players that he played with in the national U-23 side.

"Overall I’m just excited to be with the calibre of players in the club as well as coach Muhsin Ertugral who gave me my break when he promoted me to the senior Team at Ajax," he explained.

"Look it wasn’t something that we discussed in great detail because I wanted to come to Pirates with an open mind and discover through my own journey what it means to be a Buccaneer.

"What it’s going to take for me to be part of the team and also what I would have to do in order to adapt to the Pirates environment.

"However they [his national team compatriots from Pirates] did share a few things that helped me to realise what I’m walking into and those have helped to understand better what Pirates is about and what playing for this team entails."

Mobara says he can't wait to get his Pirates career underway, and is particularly looking forward to the match against the Buccaneers' main rivals, Kaizer Chiefs.

"I look forward to my first skull and crossbones salute in my opening match. I’m not here to do anything fancy, I just want to work hard and keep it simple but overall I want to serve them, the club and my family well.

"I’m also looking forward to playing in my first Soweto Derby, you know it’s one of the biggest Derbies in the world, so who wouldn’t want to play in that match and in front of a packed stadium," he said.

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