‘XAVI’ IMPRESSES AT STELLENBOSCH

MBABANE – It seems Green Mamba winger Mthunzi ‘Xavi’ Mkhontfo is settling in well in South Africa’s Absa Premiership side Stellenbosch FC.

In the past week, the former Eswatini international reunited with the reigning South Africa’s National First Division champions, where he is undergoing assessment.

He missed last Friday’s League awards in Ezulwini, where he was supposed to collect a Player of the Month award. It seems the player is feeling at home, if reactions from Stellenbosch through their social media platforms Twitter, Instagram and Facebook are anything to go by. On Twitter, a 30-second video of the player training under the watchful eye of the team’s trainer was posted with a caption; ‘Last man standing - Mthunzi Mkhontfo’. Immediately there were likes from over 20 followers on Twitter after the post. There were also two ‘retweets’.

The player is training with the first team. They have resumed their pre-season, as they prepare for the maiden campaign in top flight football.
Sought for comment on the progress of the player, Stellenbosch head coach Steve Barker said the former DR Congo side AS Vita forward was doing well at training, but a decision would be taken after the assessment in the next few days.

“He has been with us since last week, so we’ll continue monitoring him this week. He is currently doing well. We’ll take a decision probably next week after we finish assessing him,” said Barker.

Green Mamba CEO Thami Phakathi said he was yet to get an update from team management regarding the player, saying he was hoping to get a feedback during a meeting, which is reportedly scheduled for today.
After winning promotion from the National First Division last month, media reports had suggested Stellenbosch were aiming to sign between nine and 12 players.

It is not the first time for the former Mbabane City and Royal Leopard winger to be invited by the side for assessment. Before the start of the 2018/19 season, he reportedly passed trials. A deal was not concluded due to unnamed technicalities, but Stellenbosch kept pursuing him. 

‘Xavi’ is in race to become the third Eswatini player to ply his trade in the money-spinning South Africa’s Absa Premiership. Other players in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) are Banele ‘Pupu’ Sikhondze of Polokwane City and Justice Figareido, who is attached to Kwazulu-Natal-based Maritzburg United.

Meanwhile, Stellenbosch, who are a product of name change, were established in 2016 following the relocation of Vasco Da Gama to the Western Cape.  The latter played in top flight football in the 2010/11 campaign and got relegated at the end of that season.

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