Black Leopards' much sought-after playmaker Siphelele Ntshangase is like a young Siyabonga Nomvethe or Lerato Chabangu, says his coach Zeca Marques.

Leopards narrowly missed out on promotion to the PSL, finishing second in the play-offs to Jomo Cosmos on goal difference last week.

But their run to the play-offs after Marques took over a team in the bottom half of the National First Division in January has led to much attention on the two players who spearheaded that charge.

Twenty-one-year-old Ntshangase finished with nine goals and earned a Bafana Bafana debut in a 3-1 friendly victory away to Swaziland in March, and a call-up to tomorrow's Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Gambia in Durban.

Striker Roggert Nyundu, 27, arrived on loan from Polokwane City in January and scored 13 goals. "Ntshangase is more direct. He's a different level. When I say that I'm talking about, if you take Lefa and Lerato 10 years ago, they were probably the same as Ntshangase is now," Lidoda Duvha coach Marques said.

"I think technically he's on par with any player, creatively, shoots well. The only thing he needs to work on is working without the ball and defending.

"But when he's got the ball he glides past players, and has got the knack to keep the ball close to him.

"When I came to Leopards they told me he was a striker, and I quickly realised he needed a more free role at playmaker. He gave us great vision and a very good final pass.

"Can you imagine him in six years, more experienced and confident? I think he'll be a very good player if he keeps working hard."

It seems remarkable Nyundu has only come to light at 27. Marques said a combination of poor luck in teams and exposure previously, then finding himself in a winning side last season, was the boost the striker needed.

"Being in the wrong teams can have a huge impact. He came to Leopards and we were playing well - it's just timing," Marques said.

The big three of Kaizer Chiefs, Sundowns and Orlando Pirates are all reported to be interested in the two players.