Mduduzi Mdantsane remains waiting on the queue as he approaches nine months since he last played competitive football.
Mdantsane is now at Richards Bay FC on loan from Kaizer Chiefs after failing to convince Nasreddine Nabi to give him minutes this season.
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With his loan move to the coastal club who are seeking to negotiate their way from relegation, Chiefs have instead turned to Cele, Glody Makabi Lilepo, and Tashreeq Morris, who have all been given a run just days after joining.
In arriving at the Natal Rich Boyz, priority is earning minutes for the 30-year-old as he seeks to revive a career that has stagnated.
Richards Bay have 14 matches remaining to play this season, from which Mdantsane will be hoping to get a fair share.
On Tuesday, he was named in the match-day squad but finished the game as an unused substitute.
While he didn't play, he will feel encouraged to have sat on the bench for the first time this season, which is a signal of a step closer to getting a run.
He joined during the January transfer window.
Mdantsane last played 90 minutes against his former employers Cape Town City in August 2023 when Molefi Ntseki was still in charge at Chiefs.
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Then, throughout the 2024 calendar year, none of his five appearances went beyond 65 minutes as he battled to break into the team due to injury.
It is now almost nine months since Mdantsane played with his last appearance having come in May last year.