Langelihle Phili is a player that can excite Kaizer Chiefs fans and be a key attacking weapon, writes Mazola Molefe.

One of the biggest endorsements in at Kaizer Chiefs has come from his skipper, Brandon Petersen.

The goalkeeper, who has entered his sixth year at Naturena, said he took one look at the junior international following his much- talked-about transfer from Stellenbosch FC and knew immediately that he would be able to handle the pressure.

“For me, seeing a younger player like that come in and settle so quickly is a good sign. When players normally come to a team, especially younger ones, it takes them a bit of time before they settle,” the AmaKhosi captain explained.

The Glamour Boys pulled out all the stops to get the Phili deal over the line, first parting ways with striker Ashley du Preez before surprisingly allowing defender Given Msimango to also move in the opposite direction.

Chiefs then added a cash component to entice Stellenbosch, immediately putting pressure and attention on Phili to hit the ground running.

His debut, despite ending in a narrow defeat to Golden Arrows in the MTN8 quarter-finals, would have reassured the technical team – and perhaps some of the doubting Thomases – about his ability on the pitch.

Phili showed flashes of brilliance in a fixture where AmaKhosi were wasteful and were ultimately punished for their profligacy, missing out on yet another trophy.

But perhaps the 21-year-old was the silver lining in a performance theChiefs hierarchy will lament for months to come.

Petersen had already made up his mind about what Phili could bring to the table from his first glance following the winger’s arrival.

“I watched him and I was like, ‘Okay, no, we’re fine. We’re good to go.’ But just the fact that when he stepped onto the field, no one had to motivate him or encourage him, telling him, ‘Okay, don’t worry, you’re going to settle in’ – he just did it,” the captain added after observing Phili in training.

“He stepped onto the field and it was like he had always been there. So, to me, that’s a good sign, and it gives me confidence that it’s not going to take him a long time to come in and do his business.”

There is a school of thought that one of the reasons Phili was immediately comfortable is because he was reunited with familiar faces from the South African U20 team that competed at the FIFA World Cup in Chile last year under coach Raymond Mdaka.

Chiefs had both Mfundo Vilakazi and Luke Baartman representing the junior national team at that global showpiece, with both players having been teammates of Phili at the time and pretty much competing for the same position.

Now, the trio share the dressing room at Naturena following the latest transfer.

“Yeah, I mean, that could obviously have played a role in him settling so well, and I think it also speaks to him as a player,” Petersen agreed.

“You know, his confidence and just him backing himself, especially coming to a team like Chiefs, where there are expectations and all eyes are on you. So, for me, that’s a good sign as one of his teammates – to know that he backs himself and knows what he’s capable of doing.”

Phili is not the only player who signed for Chiefs during the early registration period as the new era under Fernando da Cruz began.

The Soweto giants also brought in goalkeeper Renaldo Leaner, defender Thabo Moloisane and midfielder Adolf Mtasingwa before concluding the Phili deal.

It’s the winger’s deal that was much more demanding and no doubt one fans will be more eager to see succeed.

“A good sign is seeing them settle so quickly,” said Petersen of the new boys.

“I think the most important thing for them is to focus on their business and not let all the hype and all the noise around them cloud their judgement. I think it’s about backing themselves because they’re here for a reason.”

The skipper argued that the biggest thing the new signings can do for themselves is remember why they were recruited by AmaKhosi, particularly when the pressure inevitably mounts.

It doesn’t help that the first trophy of the season has already eluded the club, meaning Cruz could likely be a lot more demanding in what is required.

“They performed very well at the clubs they were at, and that’s the reason why they were signed by Chiefs. So, for me, it’s just about going out there, believing in themselves and knowing that they are capable of performing to the best of their ability,” Petersen concluded.