Stellenbosch FC’s MTN8 quarter-final hero Langelihle Phili may have to wait a little longer before he cracks a place in the starting line-up, according to coach Steve Barker.
Phili is one of the most promising young attackers in the country, having played a considerable role in helping the SA U20 team to the Afcon title earlier this year.
The 20-year-old showed his prowess in front of goal again last Sunday by coming off the bench to net the match-winning goal in extra-time to see off AmaZulu at the DHL Stadium.
The youngster would no doubt have wanted to continue the momentum in the much-anticipated Betway Premiership opener against Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday (kick-off 5.30pm).
“Everybody is knocking on the door,” Barker said, at the Premiership launch in Sandton on Tuesday.
“That’s the nice part, especially young players. They are hungry to play, hungry to start. But he plays in the same position as Sanele Barns, who scored two goals on Sunday, so it doesn’t make it easy.”
Barker was, though, looking forward to Phili building on his positive start to the new season.
“It’s nice when a player comes on and wins the game for you. Langelihle is a very exciting player. I am looking forward to him having a breakthrough season.
“I think scoring in the first game of the season will give him the real confidence and belief that he can reach the potential that he has.”
Barker’s attention is fully focused on turning the tables on Chiefs in the season opener after the Amakhosi held the upper hand over their Western Cape rivals last season. Nasreddine Nabi’s Phefeni Glamour Boys achieved a hat-trick of victories over Stellies in all competitions and it still rankles with the veteran coach.
“If I look back at last season, there were a lot of highlights, but if you had to ask me what was frustrating from last season, then it would definitely be the three games we lost to Chiefs last season,” Barker said.
“Two of the three, I felt we were unlucky not to at least get a point, or take the game into extra-time. So, it was a bit of a sore point for us.
“But as I’ve said, we can’t dwell in the past. We have some exciting new players that have joined us. We are expecting a big tough match on Sunday, but we are getting used to playing these types of matches.”
Barker is also hoping that his two new foreign signings — Turan Mantov from Azerbaijan and Belgian defender Henri Stanic, who was last playing in Liechtenstein— will have their work permits granted by the Department of Home Affairs in order for them to take the field on Sunday.
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