‘All I ask for is a chance. I will do the rest,’ says Wiseman Meyiwa

The 17-year-old finished 2016-17 training with the first team after impressing in the club’s reserve side and the national Under-20 team.

Meyiwa even impressed Italy’s Under-20 coach‚ Alberigo Evani‚ in last month’s Fifa U-20 World Cup in South Korea. That was the second World Cup that Meyiwa played in after going with the Under-17 national team to Chile in 2015.

“The only thing missing now is to play for the first team‚” Meyiwa said. “That’s what is missing in my career.

“Having trained with the first team‚ I saw that I am ready. It’s not as difficult as I thought it would be.

“I just need to work hard and be strong mentally to survive there. The coach (Steve Komphela) applauded me for going to the World Cup. He told me to work hard in the World Cup because when I come back I will play. Those words motivated me to do well.”

Lucky Baloyi’s axing this week could pave the way for Komphela to give the teenager a chance in Chiefs’ central midfield in the 2017-18 season. But the last graduate from Chiefs’ reserve team‚ Emmanuel Letlotlo‚ struggled in the first team after his promotion.

“He was given a chance‚” Meyiwa said. “If you are given a chance‚ you must make the most of it.

“That’s all I ask for‚ a chance. I will do the rest. I know that if given a chance‚ I will make the most of it and prove that I belong here.”

The lad from Dambuza in Pietermaritzburg has slowly been showing that he belongs at Amakhosi.

He joined Chiefs in 2014 after the club scouted him at the Discovery Walter Sisulu Challenge that was played at the Nike Centre in Soweto. Back then Meyiwa was still playing for amateur side‚ Tastic FC from his hood. But his move to Chiefs wasn’t that straightforward.

“The first time I told my mom that Chiefs were interested‚ she didn’t immediately say yes‚” Meyiwa said.

“She said they must come to her first and tell her to her face. They came (to Pietermaritzburg) and they spoke with her. That’s when she agreed.

“She was persuaded by them saying that they will take good care of me‚ take me to school and supply me with accommodation.”

Meyiwa finished his matric last year. Now he plans to study sports management. He will juggle that with looking to impress in a campaign where the club will be looking to ensure that they don’t stretch their barren run to three seasons.

“Playing for Chiefs’ first team would make me so happy because I will be playing for a team that I grew up supporting‚” he said.