A huge cloud of joy has suddenly filled the corridors at Santos despite the season opening loss to Bidvest Wits on Wednesday night following the return of veteran defender Musa Otieno from a two-month loan spell in the United States.

Otieno, who landed in Cape Town on Tuesday night just as Santos were about to take on the Clever Boys on Wednesday, has been with Cleveland City Stars with whom he won the US League 2 Championship.

"It feels great to be back from a spell overseas. I really enjoyed being abroad," remarked the former Kenyan international when KickOff.com spoke to him.

"Nothing beats the feeling of being a champion because I am coming back having won the Play-Offs with Cleveland. So I am elated and grateful that I had a fruitful spell in the US which presented a different challenge. All the same I'm also happy to be back at Santos; this is my home.

"I am looking up to meeting up with the squad on Friday when I go down to the training session. But I will probably start training on Monday. I did watch the loss to Wits on television," says Otieno who will still return to the US for another two-month loan at the end of the PSL season as per the agreement between Santos and Cleveland.

The 34 year-old is still under contract at Santos.

The long-serving Santos defender, who has also regularly captained the team in his 11-year stay, was missed in the defeat to Wits. However, with his return, the workload on the shoulders of Zvenyika Makonese will be lightened.