There Are Promising Signs About Mahlambi
Durban City coach Gavin Hunt has revealed that there are promising signs for Phakamani Mahlambi, who is currently being assessed by the club.
Hunt confirmed last week that Mahlambi, a former Mamelodi Sundowns attacker, has been training with the team. Mahlambi has not played a professional football match since September 2021, when he suffered an Achilles tendon injury while on loan at Chippa United.
His last game was on 25 September 2021, against Stellenbosch. Sundowns released him at the end of that season while he was still injured.
A Mentor-Player Relationship
Hunt is now trying to revive Mahlambi’s career, having given him his PSL debut with Bidvest Wits on 8 August 2015, when Mahlambi was just 17.
Three months later, Mahlambi scored his first goal as Wits thumped Platinum Stars 4-0 at Royal Bafokeng Stadium, and Hunt famously likened him to the legendary Benni McCarthy.
The pair went on to win the league title and the MTN8 together in the 2016/17 season. That year, Mahlambi was named Young Player of the Season after scoring six goals in 18 matches, leading to a high-profile move to Egyptian club Al Ahly.
Hunt’s Update on Mahlambi’s Progress
After City’s draw with Golden Arrows at Chatsworth Stadium on Tuesday, Hunt was asked for an update on Mahlambi’s progress.
“He is going to keep training, isn’t he? You know what I’m saying. Keep running, keep training,” Hunt said. “If something happens, something happens. I told him, he knows that. There is no problem. He has accepted that, and he is getting fitter, trying to get fitter, and that’s all he can do.”
Hunt’s gesture of giving Mahlambi a chance has been widely praised by football fans. The coach, who has won four league titles, believes Mahlambi’s talent should not go to waste, especially since he is still only 28 years old.
When asked if Mahlambi’s comeback showed promising signs, Hunt was optimistic.
“He has certainly improved since he first came,” Hunt stated. “There is no doubt about it.”
During his time under Gavin Hunt at Wits, Mahlambi scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists in 37 matches across all competitions. A majority of these contributions came during the 2016/17 season, when the team won the league title.
