After a one-season contract with Sunderland where Pienaar
remained competitive enough to play 15 league and two cup games‚ he knows his
light frame and contact style of play will not survive another season in the
English Premiership.
The 35-year-old has been linked to moves to Orlando
Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns in the PSL‚ and do not discount Cape Town City
putting in a competitive bid.
But Pienaar has said he might also consider one more
season in Europe in the Netherlands‚ where the midfielder began his career
outside South Africa with Ajax Amsterdam in 2001.
The former Bafana Bafana captain told TimesLIVE his time
in the EPL is definitely up.
“The wear and tear has been showing over the last two
years. Because of the way my body is and the kind of player I am‚ I’ve been
through a lot‚” he said this week attending his Steven Pienaar Community Cup
tournament in home neighbourhood of Westbury‚ Johannesburg.
“But to play 10 years at that level is an achievement on
its own. And I must say I’m proud of myself to go through that.
“The body structure wasn’t on my side. But I told myself
in my mind‚ mentally‚ that I’m going to do it and I did. But the body has taken
some big hits.
“Obviously the pace of the game is higher in England than
in other countries. And for me‚ I told myself‚ listen I’m not going to fool
myself and say I’ll try another year.
“I might try another year in Holland. Because the pace of
the game is slower. It’s more tactical. But in England‚ no chance.”
Pienaar has also been linked to a move to China‚ where
the lure of the Yen might attract the former Everton and Ajax Cape Town
midfielder.
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