Phakamani Mahlambi fights for fresh start at TS Galaxy

Phakamani Mahlambi has been offered a lifeline to revive his career at his younger brother’s club, TS Galaxy — but whether or not he grabs that opportunity with both hands is entirely up to him.

Mahlambi burst onto the football scene at the now-defunct Bidvest Wits as an emerging prospect, and it wasn’t long before he showed flashes of living up to that potential, as he was voted PSL Young Player of the Season in his debut campaign.

He announced himself in the top flight with his pace, tricky feet, and eye for goal — qualities that left his then-coach, Gavin Hunt, raving about him being the next superstar in local football.

It appeared as though Hunt was on the money, as the teenager became the first South African to play for Africa’s most successful club, Al Ahly. But that stint failed to yield the expected results, leading to Mahlambi returning home to join Mamelodi Sundowns.

Under the tutelage of revered coach Pitso Mosimane, “Phaka” was expected to shine brightly. But apart from scoring Sundowns’ championship-winning goal against Free State Stars a couple of seasons ago, his star gradually dimmed due to off-field distractions.

In a bid to rescue his career, Mahlambi moved to Chippa United and AmaZulu, but neither stint revived the once-promising youngster. As a result, he fell by the wayside — until Galaxy chairman Tim Sukazi and coach Adnan Beganovic decided to take a chance on him over the last three weeks after a failed training stint with Durban City, who are coached by Hunt.

“Everybody deserves a second chance,” stated Beganovic after Mahlambi was spotted training with the team ahead of their Betway Premiership clash at home against Golden Arrows on Saturday afternoon.

“I think the guy is a good human being. I watched some clips from when he started to play for Wits and Sundowns. He has amazing skills. So we made the decision with the chairman, and we agreed to try and push him and bring him back into the business.

“He deserves a second chance. We are happy to have the opportunity to do that. But it’s entirely on him. He needs to push and show that he wants it — which he does. I’ve seen that in the last few training sessions.

“Let’s give him time to show that. It’s not easy. He’s fighting every day. At one point you had everything — playing for the biggest team in Africa — and then suddenly you lost everything.”

An in-form and fit Mahlambi is a nightmare for defenders, and that’s why Rockets captain Mlungisi Mbunjana is hoping he gets back to his best and joins the team officially going forward.

“Mahlambi is a top player — we’ve all witnessed that,” Mbunjana recalled. “I think he has had a slight dip in his career. So it’s very generous of the coach to try and get him back into shape.

“You can see the qualities he possesses, even though he’s not back to full fitness yet. If he continues to train with us and work on his fitness, he’ll be back to his best. I hope that continues.”

The return of Mahlambi to his best would not only benefit SA football and Galaxy but also his younger brother, Seluleko. Mahlambi Jnr has made an incredible start to life in the top flight with Galaxy, scoring six goals and registering two assists in 11 league games.

The younger Mahlambi has always spoken about his brother being one of his strongest support structures — constantly advising him not to repeat his mistakes and to remain focused at all times.

Mbunjana painted a picture of the bond between the two brothers, something he believes will help both their careers going forward.

“I think he and his younger brother have a good relationship,” Mbunjana noted. “Whenever I speak to Mahlambi about anything, he always refers me to his older brother, and the advice and guidance he gets from him.”