Evidence Makgopa can succeed at Orlando Pirates if he can work hard and get his confidence back.

This is the view of his former coach at Baroka Matsemela Thoka, who revealed why Makgopa’s confidence took a knock last season.

Makgopa will join Pirates before the new season starts in August and even though he didn’t enjoy a good campaign with Baroka last season, Thoka is confident that he will get his mojo back at the Buccaneers.

“I think the boy will do well. He will succeed at Pirates. I do not doubt that he is a very good striker, it is just that he needs more support,” Thoka explained to Sowetan yesterday.

“The boy will also adjust well to the Pirates team and if he is supported well by his teammates and management, he is going to succeed there.”

The 22-year-old scored only three goals in 28 appearances in the recently concluded campaign and Thoka believes his confidence was affected by the change of coaches.

“He is still young and I still believe in him. It's just that changing coaches sometimes is confusing to the players,” he said.

“In the other season he scored eight goals and in the last one, he only netted three goals.

“So you can see that something somewhere affected him, but I believe the boys will come back and his confidence will return as long as he works hard. He is an international player for Bafana Bafana, so I don’t think he will struggle at Pirates. He will come back and he will score goals for them.”

Makgopa will be competing with Kwame Peprah, Tshegofatso Mabasa, Zakhele Lepasa and Boitumelo Radiopane for a place in the starting line-up.

“I don’t think he will be intimidated by those guys, like I said, he just needs to work hard, that's the only thing he can do. Do extra training and work on his finishing because he is a very good finisher.

“Aerially and on the ground, he is very good. So, I don’t think he will be intimidated by the strikers' Pirates have, he must double his efforts and remain disciplined.”