Second Front:

THE deep-lying playmaker has, over the years, become the most important player in any football team.

Think of Andrea Pirlo, Paul Scholes, Xavi Hernandez, Xabi Alonso and Bastian Schweinsteiger.

These are football geniuses who define and embody the role much like Claude Makelele defined the holding midfield position.

These players weave their magic from deep and at times their simple football is more attractive than the step overs, back heels and flicks of the more attack-minded players.

In South Africa, two players who play that deep-lying playmaker role so well are Bongani Zungu of Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs’ Reneilwe Letsholonyane.

The two exciting midfielders — Zungu and Letsholonyane — will face off in the Telkom Knockout final at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Wednesday.

Bongani Zungu is going to skin Reneilwe Letsholonyane alive. That’s what I can say