How former coach stumbled upon Chiefs’ midfielder Siyethemba Sithebe

Former AmaZulu coach Joey Antipas has revealed how he stumbled upon Kaizer Chiefs’ new midfield signing.

Antipas, currently at the helm of Zimbabwean side Chicken Inn, says one day he was busy studying videos of AmaZulu’s opponents Mbombela United in preparation for a match.

While scanning a video of a previous Mbombela United match, he spotted a gem.

“I watched a video of Mbombela before our game against them when plotting how to play against them, and I singled him [Sithebe] as their biggest threat. We played them and won that game,” Antipas told FARPost from his Bulawayo base.

“I was impressed with his work rate and bundles of energy he possessed. I spoke to the AmaZulu bosses, and we signed him on a pre-contract three months later [in January 2017].”

At the time, Sithebe was nursing an injury that would sideline him for months, but Antipas says they were willing to wait.

“When he signed the pre-contract, he was injured. I knew he was a top player who would explode if given the platform,” he said.

The 29-year-old would later become the mainstay of the Durban side for five years. For his ingenuity with Usuthu, he earned his maiden national team call-up at 27, winning the COSAFA Cup with Bafana Bafana.

The talented midfielder earned himself a dream move to Chiefs earlier this year, where he has started well.

Sithebe has featured in both Amakhosi’s season-opening matches under Arthur Zwane. He played the entire game against Royal AM [1-0 loss] and featured in the 3-0 win against Maritzburg United.

On Saturday, he will be hoping for another start when they face their biggest test of the season, so far, away to Mamelodi Sundowns in Pretoria at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium [at 3pm].

Antipas believes he has everything it takes to succeed at the Soweto giants.