CAPE TOWN – After the loss of Robyn Johannes to Wits, Cape Town City coach Benni McCarthy faced a tough task of finding a new captain.
Another experienced campaigner in Shu-aib Walters is seemingly on his way out as well – having trained with Ajax Cape Town in recent weeks. But McCarthy made the call on Wednesday, appointing defensive rock Thamsanqa Mkhize as the new skipper of the Citizens.
“Mkhize is a trooper, a real gladiator for Cape Town City,” McCarthy said on the City Twitter page.
And isn’t the man just a trooper. At 29 years old, he’s seen and done it all. The marauding right back’s thunderous surges down the flank earned him two Bafana Bafana caps in 2017 – which should’ve come earlier, to be honest.
And now that the man from rural KwaZulu-Natal is in a leadership role for Cape Town City, he will have a chance to drive the team towards what he will hope are more trophies and a higher place on the Absa Premiership log. And perhaps impress Bafana coach Stuart Baxter.
McCarthy’s men ended fifth in the league last season after a great start, and lost in the MTN8 final to SuperSport United.
They kick off their 2018/19 season against SuperSport on Saturday at the Cape Town Stadium (6pm), followed by an away game against Baroka next Wednesday and the MTN8 quarter-final against Maritzburg United in KZN.
A leader is one who knows the way, goes the way, and shows the way!
Thamsanqa Mkhize is officially the new Cape Town City FC captain!💪💙 #iamCityFC #Mkhize2 pic.twitter.com/hrltnkwZPd
— Cape Town City FC (@CapeTownCityFC) August 1, 2018
@ashfakmohamed