Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo is comfortable talking about anything, except the injuries he sustained in a car accident back in primary school.

Were it not for the accident, Mhlongo insists he would be dribbling his way past players in midfield or playing up front, causing havoc for defenders.

"I started as an infield player at school. I was comfortable playing with both feet. But I was involved in a car accident and whenever I played I would feel uncomfortable. I wanted to quit," Mhlongo said.

"But my dad said instead of giving up I should try being a goalkeeper. He said he would train me and when the goalkeeper at school got injured, my dad told the coach to try me out in goal."

The 24-year-old, who is a big fan of Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, has not looked back since, joining Pirates' development side as a goalkeeper at the age of 13.

Mhlongo wishes his father was still alive to see him playing regularly for Bucs. His father - a Kaizer Chiefs fan - died of cancer in 2012, the day after Pirates won the Carling Black Label Cup at FNB Stadium.

"I went to see my father in hospital before camp. After we won the cup, they called me aside and told me my father had passed on. My father was proud of me."

Mhlongo, who has been the number one goalkeeper at Bucs since the murder of captain and goalkeeper Senzo Meyiwa in October, has welcomed the signing of goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane.

"Siya is a great goalkeeper and a fantastic guy [but] he has to work [hard] to get the number one jersey," he said.

"Who would have thought I would be number one? There were guys like Moeneeb [Josephs] and [Fatau] Dauda here. It has been difficult, but I kept the faith. Now I want to win trophies as a regular and I want to play for Bafana Bafana."