- Makhanya was one of the biggest PSL revelations this season
- He even won the Nedbank Mosty Promising Player
- The teenager opens up about his Chiefs ambitions
WHAT HAPPENED? The 19-year-old centre-back has just concluded what was a memorable debut campaign in the Premier Soccer League. In his first top-flight league season, Makhanya made 20 PSL appearances and also featured in four Nedbank Cup games.
It was a term he also performed duties for the South Africa Under-23 team under David Notoane. But before being entrusted to be one of Stelenbosch’s key defenders, Makhanya reveals he had ambitions to play for Chiefs and explains why he chose Stellies over his dream club.
WHAT MAKHANYA SAID: “If I’m being honest, personally I was more excited about joining Kaizer Chiefs because I grew up supporting Chiefs, even my family supports Chiefs,” Makhanya told iDiski Times.
“In my head it was all Chiefs but after I spoke to the elders that I trust with a lot of things, people like my agent and my parents, we sat down and talked then we did our research.
“We thought, if I went to Stellenbosch, I stood a better chance because, at the end of that season, they promoted I think about five players from their DDC team. At that time I don’t think Chiefs were promoting players to the first team.
“So we thought I stood a better chance of playing in the PSL, if I went to Stellenbosch. Coach Steve works closely with young players. That’s how I went to Stellenbosch.
“Definitely and also let me not lie to you and say I didn’t fight them. I was telling them I want to go to Chiefs and they told me this is a better choice and today I am really grateful.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: For next season, Makhanya’s chances of playing for Chiefs now appear slim after the Soweto giants secured the services of central defenders Thatayaone Ditlhokwe and Given Msimango.
The two centre-backs will join a squad that already has Zitha Kwinika, Siyabinga Ngenzana and Edmilson Dove playing at the heart of defence.
But if Amakhosi’s backline becomes catastrophic next season, Chiefs might consider Makhanya, given he will not be with another club.
WHAT NEXT FOR MAKHANYA? The South Africa Under-23 defender has so far not been any subject of transfer news during the current off-season break.
