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Paez hoping for lengthy PSL stay

Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs striker Gustavo Páez has been highly impressed by the standard of play in the PSL and the quality of life in South Africa and hopes for a long stay.

The Venezuelan-born forward arrived at Amakhosi in the January transfer window and after taking a few weeks to find his feet, he has been putting in some quality performances for the club of late.

He netted his first goal for Amakhosi in fine style against Stellenbosch FC and will now be looking to push for a regular starting berth in the final months of the season.

"Definitely the game against Stellenbosch (has been my best game to date at Chiefs), because I started the match and that suits me the best, because when one starts it's easier to read the game.

"To score my first goal and get an assist was very special and I'm glad I could contribute to the team advancing to the next round of the competition," he told the Chiefs website.

The 26-year-old says both the standard of play and the quality of life in South Africa have exceeded his expectations.

"South Americans know little or nothing about South Africa and I had no idea that Johannesburg was such a world-class city," Paez continued.

"The standard of living and quality of life is much better here than at home. It is tough in Venezuela right now with the unstable political situation being a threat to the safety of the citizens.

"On the football front, people know about Kaizer Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns. For me, the game is very advanced in South Africa. The standard is high and the league is hard. There are no easy games. My dream is to play for many years, because I am really enjoying my time here.

"I was telling my agent and my father that the PSL is very technical; there’s a lot of running and the teams pass the ball more than other leagues I have played in. You have to be very fit to make it here. I love this style of play, because it suits me," he added.

Paéz got to taste his first Soweto derby action earlier this month (a 1-1 draw with Orlando Pirates), and described the experience as refreshingly unique.

"The atmosphere is unbelievable. I have played in and seen some big games in South America. For example, when Boca Juniors play River Plate, the whole of Argentina comes to a halt," he explained.

"The Soweto Derby is different in the sense that it's more friendly and supporters get along. It's not everywhere that you will see supporters mix and enjoy the game together. 

"In South America, fans are separated and the police work very hard to ensure there is no violence. A lot of countries and soccer fans could learn a lot from the South African supporters."

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