Every team needs a utility player. Someone who can cover for another player when the need arises. With players like this a rarity, it is not uncommon to see players converted to play in positions not natural to them.
Kaizer Chiefs do not have a utility player, but Ramahlwe Mphahlele has accepted the role has fallen to him and is ready to run with it. The defender is prepared to play in any position that the team needs him to play.
In the 1-0 win over Maritzburg United after the FIFA break, Mphahlele started for the Amakhosi. The defender also came on as a substitute when Kaizer Chiefs played a 1-1 draw with AmaZulu on Wednesday.
Before the game against Maritzburg United, the defender had not made any appearance for the club this season, and he recently opened up on what it feels like to be back on the pitch.
According to Mphahlele, it is a good feeling to be able to help the team. He believes it is a work in progress and hopes they get maximum points in the next game.
“It feels to play and feels good to come in and help the team when you are needed. It’s a work in progress. We’ve been working hard as a team, and hopefully, we will get maximum points in the next game. It’s good to play, no matter which position I play. I think I am experienced enough to handle the pressure,” Mphahlele told the Amakhosi media department.
With some criticism coming for the defender, claiming he is better at left-back than at right-back, the player could play in the unfavoured position when the Amakhosi play Swallows FC, with Njabulo Blom missing out after receiving four yellow cards.
“I’ve seen teams at the bottom of the league beating teams that are number one or two. We need to focus on ourselves and our game plan and treat them with respect. They are still a fantastic team. You know when teams play against Chiefs, they revive themselves.”