Has Tembo found Furman’s replacement?
It seems as though Tembo is looking at options within the club before he outsources for Furman’s replacement.
Dean Furman during the South African national mens soccer team press conference at Fusion Boutique. (Photo by Philip Maeta/Gallo Images)
In the wake of Dean Furman deciding to dump SuperSport United at the end of the season, the perception is that if head coach Kaitano Tembo does not go into the market to find a suitable replacement for the Bafana Bafana international, he will be left with a big void in midfield.
It seems as though Tembo is looking at options within the club before he outsources for Furman’s replacement. Veteran defender Siyabonga Nhlapo has been deployed in the midfield anchoring role a couple of times this season.
Nhlapo told Phakaaathi that he was always ready to serve wherever he was called upon, but at the same time, he was not necessarily raising his hand to be moved into the engine room. The former Bidvest Wits right-back modestly backs youngsters such as Jesse Donn and Jamie Webber to lift up their hands next season and make sure Furman’s presence is not missed.
“It is up to the coach where he decides to utilise me. If the coach feels comfortable for me to play in that role, I think I can do my best like in any position that I am deployed in,” he told Phakaaathi.
“Nothing has been said to me and there are youngsters who are capable of playing there and they can grow in that position and do well in the national team. As for me, I am an all-rounder, I can play centre-back, I can play right-back, right-wing and holding midfielder.
“I have got the engine for that and I have done well in the last 12 years in regards to my shape, consistency and my professionalism.”
While some players don’t really struggle to switch to new positions, it takes moving mountains and redirecting rivers for others before adapting to a new role. For Nhlapho it seems to be a lot easier, thanks to his background at Jomo Cosmos where the “Black Prince”, Jomo Sono, played him just about everywhere.
“Thanks to my upbringing at Cosmos, I was played in a lot of positions at an early age so I think I can handle any load. I think I can adjust to anything, and if given the chance – depending on the tactics that day – to go upfront and play a bit further, I can do that.
“Positions are not only done at training, they come from the agility from you as an individual. The quickness and awareness are also very important to adapt to a new role. Sometimes you can have all of that but if you are really not used to the position yet, it will show on match-day. For one to fully adapt to a position, it needs time, it is a process, it is not something that you can just jump into. I have not been playing there for a while so I might struggle a bit. It all depends on how I can get work on my fitness and my sharpness.”
Nhlapho is a soft-spoken person and that also reflects on his attitude on and off the pitch. He knows that he is a good player but is shy to avail himself as an option in midfield for Tembo.
“At the moment I am not going to say that I want to play there because it is going to come out as though I am not doing well in my natural position and I am now looking to play elsewhere. For me, it is about giving the youngsters a chance. They are going to the Olympics if they are chosen and from there they have to graduate to the senior national team. We don’t have to break that cycle, especially in the club’s cycle. They promote them so that they can play those roles and I think they should be given a chance and I am happy to support them.”
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