After falling completely out of favour under former coach, Ernst Middendorp, Siphelele Ntshangase looks set for a new lease of life under Gavin Hunt in a different position.
After the arrival of Ernst Middendorp at Kaizer Chiefs, 'Stash' found himself left out of the picture completely. At one point, he went over 400 days without a single appearance or even making it onto the bench. Despite that, Amakhosi still extended his contract in the hope that the next coach would utilise him more often.
The 27-year-old had to make do with two substitute appearances in the first eight matches under the new coach. In the last two matches though, Ntshangase started both legs of the CAF Champions League against PWD Bamenda.
The surprising part is that Hunt has used the silky midfielder on the right wing. For all his gifts as a footballer including his famed 'champagne passes', Ntshangase arguably lacks the pace and defensive work-rate to play as a wide man and had very little effect on those matches.
So far this season, Hunt has tried Lebogang Manyama, Bernard Parker, Khama Billiat and Lebohang Lesako on the right wing as he tries to solve the problem of having no natural wingers in his squad.
Ntshangase has now played three different roles at Chiefs:
When the Italian coach was in charge, he used Ntshangase in a much deeper role. He played his best football in a Chiefs shirt and the coach expressed his wish to convert Stash into a midfielder.
On the few occasions that Middendorp selected Ntshangase after taking over, he used him in a 4-3-3 with two other midfielders. However, the coach preferred players who could get into the box, shoot and tackle.
It remains to be seen if Gavin Hunt starts Ntshangase against former club Black Leopards on Wednesday and in which position, because he has looked somewhat uncomfortable playing as a winger thus far.
