Having impressed on his return to the Kaizer Chiefs' starting line-up, goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma has opened up what the shot-stopper describes as 'the most difficult period'.
Chiefs began the season with Brandon Petersen as first choice for a starting place. However a series of individual errors ultimately saw Petersen dropped, with Itumeleng Khune also looking to reclaim the number one spot.
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The club captain did not fare much better and things we from bad to worse when Khune was suspended by the club following an internal investigation into alleged misconduct and ill-discipline.
This all left room for Amakhosi's third-choice keeper, Bvuma, to make a long-awaited return to the starting line-up and the club's academy graduate has grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
Bvuma has kept four clean sheets from the five games he has played and conceded just once, in a 1-1 draw against Sekhukhune United.
Speaking at a Vodacom community outreach event in Tembisa, Bvuma opened up on his time on the sidelines and credited his wife, Ntswaki Bvuma for helping him through.
"For me, I'm grateful for getting the opportunity to play," Bvuma said.
"As you mentioned, I haven't been playing for quite a long time so I had to be patient. Also, while waiting, which I believe was the most difficult period, I had to stay positive and work hard.
"So I'd like to thank the Almighty God for helping and my wife for being there for me and of course my parents, they have supported me.
"Like I said, it wasn't easy for me but I had to be patient and know that my time will come and I had to keep on working hard so that when the time comes again, I make sure that I perform."
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Bvuma's four appearances this season are already as many as he made in the previous campaign under then-head coach Arthur Zwane and half the appearances that he made in the 2021/22 season under Gavin Hunt.
"The pressure at Chiefs is very big, so much that, with me, I'm Christian, I believe that if I pray and read the bible that's where the guidance that sometimes you go through seasons in life," Bvuma added.
"My wife was there for me. She knows all the pain that I went through. All my tears. She knows it wasn't easy. She was the one who made sure that as I was going through that waiting season, i was always ready [to play]."
Bvuma will be aiming to keep his place in the starting line-up when Chiefs take on TS Galaxy on 13 February at FNB stadium.
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