The confident young goalkeeper, who made his debut for the Glamour Boys in August last year against SuperSport United, was speaking to kaizerchiefs.com following a grueling training session on Thursday morning.

Thela, a product of Kaizer Chiefs Youth Development, showed nerves of steel when he was thrown in the deep end during the pre-season games and when he finally made his debut against SuperSport United he sustained an injury that kept him on the sidelines for six weeks.

“It is my wish to become the number one goalkeeper at the Club before the end of the year and it all starts at training,” said Ngobeni.

“I am privileged to be working with such a top goalkeeper coach, Rainer Dinkelacker, and top goalkeepers, Itumeleng Khune, Arthur Bartman and Gregory Mabena. I learn a lot from them everyday. I do not look at age as a factor in my wish but the will to fight for the number one jersey is what is important,” he said with confidence.

Ngobeni was part of the Amajita squad that competed in the Under-20 World Cup, held in September last year in Egypt. “It was a good experience and something that I will cherish as long as I live. My priority now is to work hard here at Chiefs and if I do play games here I might catch the eye of the Bafana Bafana selectors,” he added.