Kaizer Chiefs development coach Dillon Sheppard admits Naledi Hlongwane has shown incredible maturity returning to the DStv Diski Challenge squad as he looks to get back to full fitness and form.
The South Africa junior international striker was part of the first-team pre-season trip to the Netherlands and started in the first league game of the season as they beat Stellenbosch at Athlone Stadium under then head coach Nassredine Nabi.
Those 57 minutes of football was his only involvement along with two matchday squad selections on the bench against Richards Bay and Golden Arrows in the opening five games of the season.
An injury, Nabi’s absence and the signings of Etiosa Ighodaro, Luke Baartman, Khanyisa Mayo, added to the recent form of Flavio Silva has now seen chances limited for the talented forward.
“It was a positive conversation [on returning to DDC] he is a very level headed boy, a very confident boy, in his ability, so we had the discussion, and to be fair, he has come back down to the DDC and he’s carried on with the same attitude,” Sheppard said.
“Unfortunately he missed a couple of weeks with a hamstring injury, it was recurring, so he hasn’t had continuous game time, but he came on [against Pirates] on the weekend and showed his quality. But the three players who went with the first team for pre-season, back with DDC, they have unbelievable characters.
“They have just started on the same foot they left with, the first team know they are there, monitoring their progress and when the opportunities come it’s about them being ready for that opportunities.”
Hlongwane scored the second goal for champions Chiefs in their 2-0 win over Orlando Pirates in the DStv Diski Challenge this past weekend.