Five players who arrived at Kaizer Chiefs with so much fanfare only to flop

There was so much fanfare when they arrived and the hopes were high that they would be big stars at Kaizer Chiefs, but they never really took off.

ALSO READ: Chiefs, Sundowns target Mokoena prefers overseas move

It happens in football. Some players just find the pressure at a big club like Chiefs too much, some are not given enough of a chance.

Here we look at five players who carried big expectations when they joined Chiefs but left with their tails between their legs after bombing out.

1. Gustavo Paez

He joined Chiefs during the barren Steve Komphela era. To be fair, the Venezuelan striker didn’t have much of a big record with just 11 goals credited to him when he joined Chiefs. This is how he got the nickname “Ma-11”, but he was hyped and and said to have not been given enough opportunity to show his true scoring prowess. But he just couldn’t get going at Chiefs and was eventually released.

2. Kabelo Mahlasela

“Skudu”, as Mahlasela is known in local football made it clear when he joined Amakhosi that he was living his father’s dream. His father, Teboho “Disco” Mahlasela had been a professional player as well at Moroka Swallows and Jomo Cosmos but never got to play for Chiefs as he had wished.

Kabelo had been a hit at Bloemfontein Celtic, with his skill being his biggest asset. Injuries however dealt Kabelo a huge blow and he couldn’t break into the Chiefs first team. He was then loaned out to Polokwane City until his contract at Naturena ended.

3. Bhongolethu Jayiya

Having showed good signs of being a big player at both Bidvest Wits and Cape Town City, Jayiya had all the makings of a big star at Kaizer Chiefs. But he also never got into gear and seemed to struggle with weight issues and was eventually sent packing.

4. Emmanuel Letlotlo

The youngster had been free scoring in the team’s MDC team and his natural cunning was seen as an asset that could set him apart in the senior team. A lot was expected of him and he had the right height and build to be a big striker for the country’s most supported club side.

But off-the-field issues caught up with him and derailed his progress in the senior team. He was later dumped by the club as he faced numerous issues. He is still struggling to resuscitate his career and was at relegated GladAfrica Championship side, Bizana Pondo Chiefs last season.

5. Siphelele “Stash” Ntshangase

When he arrived at Chiefs, Stash labelled himself the missing master piece that the Amakhosi were missing in their puzzle. He promised ‘Champaign passes’ but he ended up having more champagne off the field towards the end of his career at the club. Some still feel he didn’t get a good enough chance or that he never had a coach who plays a style that suits him at Chiefs. But he was released with three months still left on his contract.