Philander: It was special to make my Stellenbosch FC debut
Cheswyn Philander has thanked the Stellenbosch FC technical team for showing confidence in him after he made his professional debut last week.
Philander, who joined Stellenbosch FC’s reserve team from Ubuntu FC at the start of the season, was handed his senior debut last week Tuesday when he featured off the bench in the club’s 2-1 come-from-behind win over Kruger United.
The 21-year-old striker entered the field of play with Stellies trailing by a goal to nil and had a positive impact on the team turning the Nedbank Cup Round of 32 tie around to advance to the next round of the competition.
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“Personally, I think it was a very good debut for me and a very good experience to play in front of our fans,” Philander reflected. “It was very special to make my debut and even more so to do it at Danie Craven Stadium.
“What stands out for me the most though, and what gives me the most confidence, is that the coaches trusted me in that moment, with us 1-0 down, to come on and affect the game. That trust and belief is very special for me.”
Lega, as Philander is affectionately known, hails from Ocean View and started playing football as a 12-year-old with a local community club before working his way into the SAB League with Ocean View Football Club while still a young teenager.
He would later be snapped up by Ubuntu FC on whose books he was playing when he scored an impressive hat-trick against Stellenbosch FC during a fateful mid-season friendly last year – a performance that caught the eye of those in Maroon.
“I was excited heading into the match because it was a good experience for me to test where I was at as a footballer,” he reflects. “The whole week I prepared myself mentally because, in the back of my mind, I knew this was an opportunity for me to be seen.
“It’s not only the fact that I scored a hat-trick, but it was my overall performance that I think impressed them that day. It was one of my best performances and one that I think contributed to the club eventually signing me.”
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Having made his senior debut, Philander remains part of the Stellenbosch FC reserve team and scored in the team’s 3-0 derby win over Cape Town City over the weekend, but his ambition is clear to break into the first team.
“I want to be a first-team regular,” he concludes. “I know I will have to keep working hard and focus on improving my game, but I believe I have what it takes to stay on this path towards achieving that.”