Stellenbosch coach Gavin Hunt feels midfield talent Mthetheleli Mthinyane is on the right path if he is to claim a place in the World Cup squad.
For a second successive time, Mthinyane was named by South Africa coach Hugo Broos in a preliminary squad when he was included in the list last week for the two World Cup warm-up games against Panama later this month.
Mthinyane was on the preliminary list ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations finals in Morocco but was culled from the final squad and now again is among those on the preliminary list and will be eagerly awaiting Broos’ final decision, expected later this week.
Hunt said he felt the 25-year-old had played his first game for the club in the 1-1 draw against TS Galaxy last Friday.
“I think he's come from playing in a number 6 situation. I don't like playing with the No 6. That's my opinion. And Bafana Bafana don’t play with a No 6 either. Hugo Broos plays two midfielders together,” Hunt said.
“I don't like midfield players who tell me I'm a defensive midfield player. What is that? You’ve got to be a midfield player. So he has to improve both ways on the pitch. He's better to go up and down. That's my opinion. Football is about opinions,” he added.
Mthinyane against Galaxy had proved a lot more attacking, which pleased his coach.
“I’ve been trying to get him to push more forward, and he did so well. He made the goal, played the combinations, got across the field.
“If you talk about him making the Bafana squad, I think he has to improve up and down, laterally, and obviously it's shifting, but if you're playing together, you can cover the pitch. If you're playing by yourself, your covering distance is much bigger,” Hunt added.
Mthinyane was signed by Stellenbosch from Milford at the start of the season and has proven a revelation in his first Betway Premiership campaign.