Yusuf Bunting is enjoying a ‘new breath of life’ at Highlands Park.

Yusuf Bunting is enjoying a ‘new breath of life’ at Highlands Park. He is currently on a season-long loan deal at Highlands from Kaizer Chiefs as he hopes to get senior team game-time under his belt and catch the eye of his mother-club selectors.
Over the years, the 22-year-old striker has been a prominent figure for Chiefs' reserve team, but it was last season where he had arguably his best campaign, where he inspired Amakhosi to the inaugural MultiChoice Diski Shield by scoring five goals - making that an average of a goal every match.
However, in his new home, he's featured twice for the Lions of the North so far - in the Absa Premiership and Diski Challenge against the Glamour Boys on September 24.
“It's been good being here because I am learning a lot,” Bunting explained.
“I’m here to get some game-time, and hopefully that will happen and it will then allow me to come back (to Chiefs) stronger. Thanks to God that I made my PSL debut (against Baroka) with Highlands Park, now I am looking forward to getting more games. We are all getting along well at the club, because we have the same goal, which is to stay in the PSL and do well.”
Bunting admits that he was filled with a rollercoaster of emotions when he came up against his mother-club on Heritage day at a packed Makhulong Stadium.
“There were lot of emotions that were involved coming into the game against Chiefs, hence I even asked the coaches if I could come and get some game-time,’’ he said. “You know that whenever you play against your home-club there’s a lot of emotions but you’ve got to push and make sure to put in the work shit. After all, this is football.”
The Tembisa-based club is coached by Owen Da Gama, someone who has an eye of nurturing and polishing raw talent especially after leading the Under-23 national team (Amaglug-glug) during the 2016 Olympics’ games – where they recorded a famous 0-0 draw against hosts Brazil.
The club's Young Player of Season Siphiwe Mahlangu, who’s in his maiden top-flight football season, has been a force to be reckoned with so far. Hence, Bunting reckons he's in safe hands.
“Coach Owen has taken me under his shoulder,” he insisted. “He's taught me a lot so far. Hence, I hope I can get a couple of goals and then go back to where I came from.”