When the Premier Soccer League resumed activities in February Amakhosi coach Muhsin Ertugral experimented by using Thuso Phala as An out right striker, the experiment did not yield the desired results and Ertugral canned the idea.

While Phala subsequently found himself on the bench or out of the squad in later games, he did not give up hope and continued clawing his way back into selection. When the opportunity came his way again he grabbed it and began displaying the form which made him one of the short list of nominees during the 2006 – 2007 season for the PSL Jet Rookie of the year award. The national u-23 player has been reveling in his new role as an impact substitute for the Amakhosi, he believes if he can be of benefit to the team by coming on and making a difference that is a role he will gladly fulfill.

Super Sub

Following his phenomenal performance as a second half substitute against Free State Stars earlier in March when he came on to the field, and was one of the players who helped turn the tide in Chiefs favour, he was again at the fore as a substitute in the following matches against Ajax Cape Town in the Nedbank Cup and Amazulu in a league game.

For him coming on and making an impact is a challenge he craves, he explained “if the coach sees value in using me as a substitute to make a difference on the game I have no problem with that. I also do not find it difficult coming straight into a game and fitting into the tempo and the high speed, actually I enjoy the rush of having to get straight into the action. Usually when I enter the field there is very little time for me to settle down and I need to go head long into the match”.

Sundowns focus

Chiefs next outing against Sundowns on the weekend in a Nedbank Cup round of 16 match has given Phala a lot to mull over, the former Platinum Stars player holds the thought that whether he starts or is used as a substitute on Sunday by Muhsin Ertugral.

He will need to bring his best game to the park as he added “ knowing Sundowns and having watched our Telkom Cup Final match against them, I am pretty convinced that who ever features in the match will have to from the get go be ready to play the game of his life. It is an important match to us and what ever game time I get I would like to make it count in our favour, hopefully I will able to get the right kind of passes up to the front men so we can create the chances and wrap the game and avoid extra time or penalties”.