Hit the high notes at the COSAFA U-20 tournament in December for the South African National U-20 team, had an immediate impact on the career of the young play maker Michael Nkambule who was the driving force behind South Africa making it to the final of the annual regional event.

First of all it brought to light Nkambule’s immense talent which was already known but made clearer, his performance also demonstrated that the three and a half years he spent in France at the Strasbourg academy has developed him into a dynamic midfielder and he could well be an asset for any team.

Chiefs wasted no time in striking up negotiations with the young starlet and brought him back to The Amakhosi, after all Nkambule had moved to Europe after impressing scouts who were attending the 2003 Milk Cup in Northern Ireland where he was in sublime form for the Chiefs u-15 team. Having returned to Chiefs Nkambule is prepared to knuckle down and work hard to carving his name into Amakhosi folklore, in his first interview with kaizerchiefs.com he spells out his plans for the coming months.

KC.COM: Michael welcome back to Kaizer Chiefs, how has your first official day at the club been?

Michael Nkambule: I have been here since the middle of December but I never really got to meet all the guys, so Saturday was really the first time I got acquainted with most of the team and I was a bit on the nervous side but everything went well and every one was really good to me?

KC.COM: Since the middle part of 2003 you were out of South Africa and were part of the academy and then the reserve side of French Ligue 1 team Strasbourg how was the French experience for you?

MN: I feel it was perhaps the best thing that could ever have happened to me, if you look around the world you can see the number of players who grew up learning their trade in these academies in France. Today we can see that they are some of the most accomplished players in the world, I believe I was fine tuned in France and was able to add a lot to my game in departments where I was perhaps not strongest. Going to France helped me develop further and I believe that I have returned to South Africa at the right time, hopefully within a couple of seasons I hope to go back to Europe again.

KC.COM: What were some of the biggest learning curves for you in France?

MN: Perhaps and possibly I think that I learnt a lot of self discipline while I was there, you know you need to do many of your own chores and as a person it helps you to grow and think what was really good for me was the fact that I learnt a lot of self discipline. Being able to adapt to a new culture and way of life and learning a new language, were also part of the experience which really changed the way I see life and the way I approach the game.

KC.COM: Has your personal performances in the COSAFA tournament, helped further build your self-confidence. In a way that you feel you could be an asset to Chiefs and make a major impact over the next few months?

MN: I did not come to the COSAFA tournament looking for a team to snap me up, I came to prove that I can play apart over the next ten years in the success of the countries national teams. Having signed for Chiefs after that was a real bonus, obviously the club knows me and the kind of player that I am and they know what I can do and my aim is to as quickly as possible re-pay Chiefs for doing all that they have done for me. I feel that it is important for me to acclimatize as quickly as possible and hopefully I can play as soon as the seasons resumes again, my aim is most definitely to see as much game time as I can in the remaining months of the season.

KC.COM: You once joked with former Chiefs midfield wizard Doctor Khumalo and told him that Chiefs will bring back the number 15 jersey just which was retired in his honor back out for you?

MN: That is correct it was just after we came back from the Milk Cup when I told him that and he laughed about it, since then I have had regular contact with him and he has from time to time advised me on certain things. The truth is that I have always looked up to Doctor he was a successful player for both club and country and he inspired a generation of young boys in the country to set about fulfilling their dreams. I was one of those who were captivated by Doctors skills and I have modeled myself around his playing style and my hope and wish is that I can bring the same kind of success to Chiefs that he has.

KC.COM: You have a month to prepare before Chiefs next official game on the 13th February, what do you hope to achieve out of the next thirty days?

MN: Off the field to get to spend more time with my team mates get to understand them better, on the field obviously to get my fitness and generally working on my physical conditioning. I will use the training session and the friendly games to get used to playing with the guys and also to show the coach what I can do, hopefully I will be able to used this month to demonstrate that I am a team player and can do a good job for the team.