New SuperSport United signing Phathutshedzo Nange has rued injuries for his unlucky stint with Kaizer Chiefs.
Nange was let go by Chiefs at the end of last season after two years after his contract with Amakhosi came to an end.
The midfielder has since been reunited with former coach Gavin Hunt again after their initial plan for a reunion at Kaizer Chiefs in 2020 was scuppered by a transfer ban and Hunt departed Naturena before eventually Nange joined Amakhosi from Stellenbosch FC a year later.
In his first season with Chiefs, Nange featured in 28 matches in all competitions – mainly under Stuart Baxter, scoring two goals in the process.
However, last season his numbers dwindled, featuring in just five games with no goals. Then Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane said he had to pray for Nange to be injury free because every time when he gets fit he broke down again, which frustrated him a lot.
“Every player wants to play,” reflected Nange, when asked about his Chiefs spell.
“I would say it was a setback to me. But knowing this game you get injuries and so on. I think my setback was getting injuries when we were in the pre-season and that let me down.
“After the Africa Cup of Nations [qualifying match for Bafana Bafana] in Morocco in June last year, I got the injury when the guys were going to Polokwane [for pre-season], so I didn’t manage to go and do pre-season with them.”
Although injuries mainly hampered Nange, Chiefs’ instability might have created another frustration to him, but the player said it was not the case.
“I wouldn’t say so, but like I said the injury let me down a bit,” said Nange.
“Because I couldn’t manage to cope and recover. Others won’t say ‘we are waiting for this guy to come back’, and so on.
“We [Chiefs] also brought in new boys from the development team and they were given a chance, they were rebuilding. That is it and it is water under the bridge.”
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He is now one of eight new signings at SuperSport, who are gearing up to compete for silverware, both domestically and in Africa this coming season.
