Through all the three years that Ashraf Hendricks spent at BidVest Wits, he was as solid a defender as there was in the PSL at the time.
Hendricks complemented his game by scoring goals with eight to his name for the club which explains why Bafana Bafana coach Carlos Alberto Parreira took interest.
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That ability to do perform his defensive duties with efficiency and still be effective on set-pieces had Kaizer Chiefs taking notice.
While he ultimately didn't end up at Naturena, that option was considered before he ultimately ended up moving to Moroka Swallows in 2009.
"I was always a player that was looking for stability which is why my intention was always to run down my contracts," Hendricks tells KickOff.
"There was a time when I was at Wits when a chance to move abroad came up, but I didn't take it up at the time because I was settled at Wits and had my family.
"Then there was the Chiefs option that came up after my second season at Wits when I even got into the Bafana Bafana set-up during Parreira.
"I was Player of the Season at Wits that year so there was talk of that move to Chiefs at the time.
"I thought long and hard about it, but Swallows had something good going on at the time and they were a club that really needed me, and I felt that was the right choice for me.
"For me, Swallows was a big club and there was going to be (Siyabonga) Nomvete coming so it was going to be the next big thing.
"With going to (Orlando) Pirates or Chiefs, the question was obviously around whether I would be playing there but with Swallows I had a club that really wanted me.
"I felt I was needed at Swallows, so it felt as the right choice.
"At times, players make the mistake of going for the name and then end up not playing enough.
"I felt that wasn't the right time for me to go to Chiefs because of the players that they had at the time.
"At the end of the day, I felt I would rather go where I'm needed and where I can grow," explains Hendricks who went on to spend six years at Swallows including a spell when he was used a striker by Fani Madida.
"After all the years at Swallows, the club was relegated but I though Leon Prins (Swallows boss) did all that he could at the time with what he had.
"The finances put limitations to the ambitions, and it then became a sad ending but I'm glad that they are back now.
"Swallows is a name that has been in our game for the longest of periods, so their presence is always welcome.
"I played as a striker as a kid so when we were fighting relegation Fani Madida felt he needed a target man, and I was available.
"At the time, there were other guys playing ahead of me at the back, so I was open to helping the team in whatever way.
"I scored a header away at Free State Stars and I thorough enjoyed playing there," says Hendricks.
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