LOBAMBA – By all indications, Cameroonian hit-man Etienne Massoye is not worth E75 000 signing-on-fee and E7 000 salary per month but he is certainly not a paper tiger either.

After Mbabane Swallows Management released a statement that the reigning top goal scorer, who scored 18 goals in 18 games last season, had made outrageous demands, literally pricing himself out of the local market, very few would have expected him to trot onto the field hours later.

But not only did he appear for Swallows, wearing his trademark smile and jersey number 12 but he contributed to all three goals – scoring one in the process, which took his tally to five goals in six games.

My flies in the wall tell me, the Cameroonian striker apparently sent an apology to Swallows boss, Victor ‘Maradona’ Gamedze for his actions hence his shocking return to the starting line up despite the fact that he had not trained with the club for more than eight days.

One thing was certain, he was clearly match unfit, but the quality in the Cameroonian is not in doubt. The manner he created not only the first goal but the second one when he picked two-goal hero, Stanford Ncube with a delightful chip was world class. His own goal, clearly demonstrated a quality that is rarely seen as earthquakes in local football.

Whereas many strikers would have rushed to try and head the long pass by defender, Eduardo over the advancing Buffaloes goalkeeper, Sibusiso Mabuza, Massoye kept his cool and headed the ball on the ground to elude the goalkeeper and then walked the ball home. His celebration sent the message home.

As he kissed his team badge, cheered by the supporters his eyes were fixed in the royal box where the club boss, Gamedze smiled sheepishly. It was a salient point. The message was loud and clear. “I love this club, I cannot do anything for it,” he told the Times Sports Desk on Friday and indeed kissing the badge could not have been more surreal. It’s evident, he may not get the E75 000 signing-on-fee or E7 000 that it is claimed he craves but he is a quality striker and him and Swallows are a match made in heaven.

Like wings of a ‘Bird’ – pun intended - they need each other!