Chiefs’ Zwane hails Shabalala, pledges to use more young players

Arthur Zwane has revealed that Kaizer Chiefs will be using more young players in the future. 

ALSO READ: Zwane speaks on Chiefs’s derby win and their comeback plan

Responding to a question asked about Mduduzi Shabalala’s performance in the Soweto derby, Zwane said he was one of many that Chiefs will be using. 

Shabalala started his first derby against Orlando Pirates on Saturday and acquitted himself well. 

He had fans on their feet on occasion when he turned on the skills at a packed FNB Stadium on Saturday.

“It was good to see a youngster like Mduduzi going in there and showing a bit of arrogance on the ball,” said Zwane. 

“I just hope he will grow in stature and become one of our best players for the future. 

“’Mdu is a special talent, he is like Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, though Mdu is a bit explosive.

“I’m a believer in giving youngsters an opportunity because I was once a youngster and I was given a fair chance to express myself,” added Zwane.

Helping national teams 

The Chiefs mentor said using more young players will not only benefit his team but augurs well for the country as well. 

The national Under 20 side failed to qualify for the continental championships this time around. 

And based on what Zwane said, this could be because the teams are not giving their youngsters a chance. 

“I might have blossomed late in my career but when you look at what we’re not doing right currently as a nation it’s not giving deserving young players the opportunity to go out there and shine.

“And we expect our national team to have very good players for our backup team like the Under 23s — a team that should have good players to feed the senior national team,” added the Chiefs mentor. 

Zwane also expressed his concern at his team failing to utilise the advantage when an opponent gets reduced to 10 men via a red card.

Pirates played most of the second half with 10 players after Innocent Maela was sent off for a professional foul. 

“It is a worrying habit, and I don’t know why because at training we try to have those kinds of functional sessions and drills,” Zwane said.

“That’s to make sure we exploit those spaces so that we can draw them from places and create the opportunities.

ALSO READ: Chiefs sneak dull derby win over ten-man Pirates

“We were forced to go wide in this game to create space because we played two strikers in the second half.

“We only looked dangerous when we played the ball behind them and not in front of them,” explained Zwane.