The much anticipated year of 2014 has arrived and it is going to be a busy one for Siphiwe Tshabalala, for both club and country.

The South African and Kaizer Chiefs midfielder can expect to – possibly, play in no less than 22 games before June this year, depending on his fitness. That number could be higher if Bafana Bafana and Chiefs progress in their respective competitions.

Much has been speculated about Siphiwe’s (and his selected fellow club teammates) involvement in the African Nations Championship, but Chiefs have now confirmed that the club will release its players after the game against Mamelodi Sundowns on the 23rd of this month.

Tshabalala had a stellar 2013 as he played in a whopping 54 games (official matches) and scored six goals, in all completions – for Chiefs and Bafana Bafana. His most notable accomplishment was leading his club to their first league title in eight years as well as the Nedbank Cup trophy.

He also excelled for his country in a number of games, especially during Bafana’s Nelson Mandela Sports and Culture day fixture against Burkino Faso, where he scored a goal and picked up the man-of-the-match award.

As he looks forward to playing in competitions such as the CAF Champions League and CHAN (to name a few), there is no doubt that this could be another fantastic year for the man from Phiri, Soweto. He is enjoying his football and is in the prime of his career, and being the consummate professional that he is, can be expected to put in a 100% effort in all of his games.