Gamphani Lungu had made a massive impact since he joined Orlando Pirates from Siwelele FC at the start of the season, writes Mazola Molefe.
Orlando Pirates, like their going to strengthen their squad with some of the Premier Soccer League’s finest, but few would have predicted that Gamphani Lungu would be among those on their radar.
The Zambian international had been a loyal servant at SuperSport United and, even after the club’s status was sold and the team rebranded as Siwelele, with an imminent move to Bloemfontein, the utility player did not look for a way out.
In football, players who remain committed through such upheaval are increasingly rare. Lungu’s consistency at the highest level, however, never wavered.
Perhaps that is what caught Pirates’ attention, particularly because the 27-year-old offers the versatility modern coaches crave. He can operate at right-back, on either wing and, if required, lead the line as a striker.
At a club increasingly built around emerging talent, Lungu also brings something else: experience.
He has played extensively in the Betway Premiership and on the continent, offering Pirates an important senior presence as the champions attempt to strike the right balance between youth and experience.
For coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, technical ability is only part of what makes a player suitable for his system.
Being a good human being matters, but character and heart are also important. Lungu appears to have those qualities in abundance.
It would help explain why he has settled so quickly at Pirates, while also making an immediate contribution on the pitch, scoring important goals in both the league and the MTN8.
Ouaddou was candid when explaining why “Mr Jones”, as Lungu is affectionately known, did not appear to struggle with the transition from Siwelele to the Soweto giants.
“This boy helped us to win the title last season,” joked Ouaddou, referring to Lungu’s hat-trick in Siwelele’s remarkable 7-4 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns, a result that had a significant impact on the Brazilians’ goal difference.
“I was not surprised. When he came here, he was very excited, first of all. He was very happy to join such a big club. From last season, I think he was already part of the family. We integrated him very well, and he’s giving all his best.”
For all his experience, Ouaddou was still struck by the humility Lungu displayed after making the move to one of the biggest clubs in the country.
“I always say that you all the time have a short time or a long time for new recruitment when you come to a new club, but we just opened our hearts when he came, and he was part of the family,” the coach said. “It’s like he’s been here for a long time.”
That sense of belonging may prove just as valuable as Lungu’s versatility.
At Pirates, he has arrived not simply as another signing, but as a player capable of filling multiple roles while providing the character and experience required in a squad with serious ambitions at home and in Africa.
