How Ngcobo worked his way back into Zwane’s good books

Njabulo Ngcobo’s career at Kaizer Chiefs has already gonethrough some turbulent times despite the defender only being in his second season with the Naturena side. 

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At first Ngcobo didn’t get game time, with then-head coach Stuart Baxter clearly not believing in him. In a few games he played under Baxter, Ngcobo was slotted into the defensive midfield role, which he is unaccustomed to. 

When Arthur Zwane took over from Baxter on an interim basis last season, Ngcobo was given game time, but he made costly blunders. 

While the mistakes were understandable as it happens to the best in the world, his reaction after he was substituted in the game against Golden Arrows last season tarnished his name. 

Zwane was quick to say he understood that Ngcobo had been overcome with emotion when he refused to shake his hand when he was taken off in that game. 

Still, instead of playing Ngcobo this season, Zwane initially converted Siyabonga Ngezana from right back to centre back. That was until Ngezana also made costly blunders against Mamelodi Sundowns recently. 

“You know that as a player, once you don’t get game time, you become hungry and he (Ngcobo) showed that hunger without the mistakes,” Zwane said after their 1-0 win over Richards Bay at the weekend. 

Ngcobo was named Man-of-the-Match and apologised to the supporters and the club after the match for his unsporting antics from last season.

“Players must know that football is a game of mistakes, but they have to minimise them in order for us to win our games. Njabulo was one of the players who made fewer mistakes and we kept a clean sheet,” added Zwane.

“Njabulo is a top defender and for the modern game you need defenders as arrogant as him, but one that is also able to see the danger. 

“We are still working on him and he did very well for the club and for the team and for his teammates … the most important thing is that we boost his confidence,” explained Zwane.

Ngcobo is expected to be in the starting team again when Chiefs meet Cape Town City in a DStv Premiership match on Tuesday night.