What would have become of Bafana Bafana defender Rushwin Dortley had he joined Kaizer Chiefs during Gavin Hunt's tenure? - 'Maybe I wouldn’t have progressed the way I have now'

Rushwin Dortley was a transfer target of Kaizer Chiefs during the 2020/21 season when Gavin Hunt was in charge at Naturena.

At that time, the centre-back was in his debut season playing National First Division football with Cape Town Spurs.

Chiefs could not sign him as they were under a Fifa player transfer ban and Hunt still regards Dortley as "the best left-sided centre-back in South Africa."

“I think stuff like that is out of your control when it comes to the owners of the club,” Dortley said as per iDiski Times.

“It’s for you to keep your head down and keep working. Chiefs wanted me two-three years ago; the deal didn’t happen. I still continued playing, I still continued doing what I had to do.  

“At the end of the day you are still contracted to the club, so can’t stay away from training and do all of those things because the other club that wants you is also looking at that, and they think if a club wants you from them you are going do the same.

“So, it’s for you to stay professional, keep doing what you doing and keep improving your game because you don’t know who’s watching you," added the Belhar-born star.  

“Like I said earlier, for me I always say I never question God so what happens in my life is meant to happen. Say maybe for instance if I had to go to two-three years ago to Chiefs I wouldn’t have progressed like the way I am now.

“I’m more mature I have better technical insights of football all of those things. I think this was the best time for me to leave Cape Town Spurs after all these years, I thank them a lot.”

Dortley has featured in every minute of Chiefs' seven games in all competitions this season.

He has also made himself a key Bafana Bafana centre-back from the 2024 Cosafa Cup going into the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in which he started all six games.

That highlights his remarkable progress in his career in his second season of playing top-flight league football.

With Chiefs' defence appearing leaky after conceding 11 goals in the seven games they have played so far, coach Nasreddine Nabi might consider shaking things up at the back.

That would inspire Dortley to put in some extra work and keep his place in the team as well as remain in the plans of Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.