Debut gong meant the world
WHEN NTSHANGASE BROKE INTO THE SUPERSPORT SIDE IT GAVE HIM A LOT OF BELIEF
Michaelson Gumede
Phumlani Ntshangase was a casualty of Bidvest Wits’ poor 2017/18 season, when he was ordered to train with the reserves by Clever Boys head coach Gavin Hunt at the start of the new campaign.
The midfielder had won the title with Wits just a season earlier, even though he was not a regular in the title-winning campaign, making just seven league starts – he actually started more league games (11) last season. This pre-season saw the departure of many of Wits’ long-serving midfielders, with Xola Mlambo and Ben Motshwari both heading off to Orlando Pirates.
Luckily for Ntshangase, SuperSport United came knocking and secured his services on a one-year loan deal.
“After what happened at Wits I wasn’t okay, I just needed a new environment,” said Ntshangase, who revealed the move to the capital city side had been in the pipeline for a while.
“I had a chat with them a few seasons ago but I couldn’t go because I was still playing at Wits but they were one of the teams on my list. I wanted to play and continue winning cups and if you want that you need to go to clubs that have the experience and the ambition,” he said.
“I came here because I knew I would have a chance to play more games. I am not saying I can’t play for the big clubs. I needed a team who are similar to where I come from and I need this challenge to get to the next level,” he added.
There are no rewards for guessing which “big clubs”, as he is referring to Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, who both showed keen interest in him but he decided a move to Soweto could be an option later in his career.
“Pirates and Chiefs were there, they have been knocking for a while but unfortunately you have to choose one team and if the other brings more to the table you can’t deny them. But if you look at my age, I can still go there and play in a few years’ time.” It was through youth games against Amakhosi and the Buccaneers’ youth teams where Ntshangase was spotted by scouts and was recruited by Wits’ academy team almost a decade ago.
“I was spotted by Ashley Makhanya and Eric Tinkler and they brought me to the Wits academy in 2009. That is when my football really picked up. I spent some time in the academy and then soon moved on to the first team.
“Coach Gavin told me he believes in me and that I am a good player. He said I know how to fight and I can do a lot of things. I played my first game against AmaZulu in Durban and I got Man-of-the-Match and that is when I started believing things were possible.”
What did getting a MOTM gong on debut mean to him?
There are still things I need to improve, but so far so good for me.
“It pushed me a lot and it opened my eyes because I used to watch some of the guys playing on TV and I always thought it was difficult. That MOTM opened a lot of doors for me because I went to Bafana Bafana during that season,” he replied.
“When I was promoted it was not easy. There were the likes of Tinashe Nengomasha and Mathew Pattison, players who were controlling the midfield of Wits at that time. It was not easy but I managed to get through.”
Ntshangase is facing a challenge at Matsatsantsa as skipper Dean Furman and veteran Reneilwe Letsholonyane are the heartbeat of the midfield.
He has made just one start for SuperSport this season, in the MTN8 semifinal first-leg 2-2 draw with Kaizer Chiefs. Matsatsantsa play Cape Town City in the final on Saturday at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
“It is never easy, if you want to be the best you must be among the best,” said the midfielder, who started off as a centreback, but was too small for that role.
One thing, however, that brightens his day is when he looks at his trophy cabinet. He has won the Telkom Knockout, MTN8 and Absa Premiership titles with Wits.