Bafana call-up worst thing to happen to Mahlambi – Hunt

The teenage sensation was named in the Bafana Bafana squad by caretaker coach Owen Da Gama to face Guinea-Bissau in Durban on Saturday and Angola three days later.

“The worst thing‚ the worst thing for Phakamani‚ the worst thing‚ is going to Bafana right now‚” Hunt told The Sowetan.

“It is not the right thing for him. He needs to stay (at Wits) and do a little bit of training here and get settled again.

“But I mean‚ you know‚ I am happy for the boy. I am just saying if you look at his progress now‚ he needs a little bit of time away from all that stuff and work a little bit.

“This would have been a good week for us to work because we don’t play for two weeks.

“We can work on a lot of things with him but obviously going to the (Bafana) camp they (the national team coaches) are not going to do any work with him. So it is a problem.

“No disrespect to that (the call up to Bafana)‚ I’m just saying‚ you know‚ it (was) important that he (stayed with Wits and improved his game). But be that as it may‚ it’s going to happen.”

Hunt would have liked Mahlambi to be given time to recover properly from a long term injury that kept him out of action for the second half of last season.

“It wasn’t his best in both games (the two Champions League legs against Al Ahly). There are a lot of things going on‚ you know what I mean?

“I’ve got a lot of work there (with Mahlambi) still. I tried to use him to try get behind them (the Egyptians) but even if he got past there must be something. If he played simpler it would have been better.

“But he is a young boy and if you compare him to (Mamelodi Sundowns star Khama) Billiat he is younger. It will take time‚ it will come.”