Hunt impressed by Chiefs youngsters, especially Blom
Njabulo Blom hopes Kaizer Chiefs' success in Caf Champions League can help rescue the club's Dstve Premiership Campaign. Picture: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images.
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Njabulo Blom is one of the young players at Kaizer Chiefs who have thrown their hands up to indicate their availability to be a part of the team who coach Gavin Hunt is trying to build at Naturena.
And it took the 20-year-old from Dobsonville just a few days to convince the well-travelled and experienced Hunt that he can do the job. Blom made Hunt’s first team last weekend and went on to impress as a second-half substitute in a spectacular come from behind 2-1 win over Maritzburg United in an MTN8 quarter-final.
Speaking after the game, Hunt admitted that he was still getting used to some of the players at Chiefs and didn’t know the names of some of them, especially the youngsters.
“There is this youngster we have… what’s his name again?,” said Hunt trying to remember. “It’s… (Njabulo) Blom. I think he is the future, he has a huge ability and I’ve only worked with him for a week. But I have already been impressed with him,” added the 56-year-old former Bidvest Wits mentor.
Hunt said he had thought of starting the youngster against Maritzburg but decided against it a he wants to bring him into the team gradually.
“I didn’t want to start him, but maybe I should have, but that’s in hindsight and everything is in football is easy in hindsight. I thought he can cover distances, he’s got the engine and he can play. Just 30 seconds after going in, he played that long ball to (Bernard) Parker and he could have scored.
“He’s got range of passing… it worked today but he is a young player and he needs time. I will give him the time and show him a few things,” Hunt explained.
Hunt also started a 20-year-old Nkosingiphile Ngcobo who struggled with the pace in the first half but after the introduction of Blom to partner him in central midfield he came around and gave an applaudable performance as they dictated terms in midfield.
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