The rise and rise of Richard McCreesh

Soon after Mbabane Swallows' 3-0 victory over Mbabane Citizens in the semifinals of the SMVAF Ingwenyama Cup at Somhlolo National Stadium on February 4 earlier this year, Richard McCreesh was talk of the town among the club's supporters.

And no, not for the right reasons. Swallows supporters were livid with the young midfielder who had shown poor attitude when brought on as a substitute in the dying minutes of that match. Taking to their famous 'Mbabane Swallows Corner' Facebook page, some even called for the youngster to be axed.

Others voiced their frustrations on a player who had yet to convince them if he indeed belonged to the first team almost 3 years after he was promoted from the U-20 side. Fast forward to September 2018 and the 22 year McCreesh is preparing to make his Sihlangu debut against Tunisia in a crucial AFCON qualifier on Sunday at Mavuso Sports Centre.

Turn arounds hardly get any better than this. 2018 has been a memorable year for young McCreesh and looking back now, that incident on February 4 looks to have been a turning point. Having received much backlash for his actions, McCreesh soon began to change his Swallows career around.

In a key CAF Champions League first round first leg clash away to Zanaco of Zambia in early March, Swallows coach Thabo 'Koki' Vilakati shocked many when he included McCreesh in his starting eleven. The young midfielder repayed his coach's faith and silenced his critics as he scored a memorable winner to help the Birds beat the Zambian giants 2-1, a result that sent shockwaves throughout the continent.

McCreesh's revival then stalled in the subsequent months as he was dropped for his side's Champions League opening group stage clash against Zesco United away in Zambia in May. The youngster was then in the headlines for further wrong reasons in July as his Swallows revival lost momentum.

When the 2017/18 domestic season ended, which also saw the Champions League take a break for the World Cup, a litany of Swallows stars departed including midfielders Banele 'Pupu' Sikhondze and Felix Badenhorst. 

That, coupled with Vilakati's decision to employ McCreesh in a more defensive role, proved to be a huge turning point. On August 5, in front of a packed Somhlolo National Stadium, young McCreesh delivered a performance for the ages as Swallows were crowned Eswatini Telecom Charity Cup champions.

Paired with new boy Xolani 'Papi' Sikhondze in midfield, McCreesh played every single minute as Swallows first beat Young Buffaloes and then Mbabane Highlanders in the final to defend their Charity Cup crown. The young midfielder's mature performance drew praise from all corners, with many, including local coaches, naming him the tournament's best player.

Growing in stature and winning everyone's trust, McCreesh started all three of Swallows' Champions League games after the Charity Cup. Even though they all ended in defeat, the youngster shone in the heart of Swallows midfield, delivering performances defying his age.

Last week, McCreesh was called into Sihlangu camp for the crucial clash against Tunisia to mark a remarkable seven-month turnaround.

Having already played twice against Tunisian giants Etoile du Sahel in the Champions League, McCreesh knows better than most in the Sihlangu camp what danger the Tunisians pose. Forget his age and number of caps, he should start on Sunday.

McCreesh now has the world at his feet. Of course, there are concerns about his temper and he has to do better in controlling himself but that will also become better with age and experience.

McCreesh has had a memorable year but now the task ahead is to work even harder to achieve more. What a year, what a story!