sportskeeda
Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi has revealed the plans he and the club’s management will implement to incorporate academy players, with the Soweto giants highlighting an abundance of talented first-team prospects in their DStv Diski Challenge [DDC] squad.
As the reserve team strives to clinch their first-ever championship, Amakhosi is rich in talent within their youth ranks, showcasing players like Naledi Hlongwane, Takalani Mazhamba, Kabelo Nkgwesa, and Aden McCarthy, all viewed as potential first-team candidates.
McCarthy, serving as the captain of the DDC, has been instrumental in the club’s title chase and was named in the matchday squad against Mamelodi Sundowns during the semi-final. The Chiefs’ coach stressed the importance of carefully integrating promising young players into the senior team while also rebuilding the squad.
“The plan we discussed with the board this season is to build a solid team while keeping an eye on our younger talents, the DDC players, and giving them opportunities. You saw Duba excel as one of the standout players in the match against Sundowns,” Nabi stated, as translated by Khalil Ben Youssef.
“Aden [McCarthy] is part of our setup, and we continuously strive to incorporate DDC players by having them train with us, evaluating their readiness without focusing on their age. If they deserve to play, they should play—age is not the deciding factor.
“There are several promising talents, including [Nkosana] Mbuthu, Pelembe [Ozoemena Manqoba]. Let’s not forget Mbuthu; you might recall his performance in the Yanga game during the pre-season.”
However, while Nabi values the mix of youth and experience, he cautioned against rushing to field academy players at a club like Chiefs, where expectations are high.
Additionally, the 59-year-old coach mentioned that McCarthy was in line to start against Sundowns, but two of his players chose to play through injuries.
“If there weren’t so many pressures at Kaizer Chiefs, it would be simpler to give younger players a chance, but considering the high stakes and past performances, we need to manage how we introduce them to the starting lineup. Placing them in tough situations could harm their careers, so we must approach this wisely,” the Tunisian mentor explained.
“There are many young talents, but we are waiting for the right moment to feature them. Aden was almost 90% prepared to start this game. He was intended to be in the lineup, but I thank the medical team for getting [Edmilson] Dove and Zitha [Kwinika] ready for us.
“I also want to commend the players; some who are injured might hesitate to play in a crucial match like a semi-final against Sundowns, but the strong mentality and sacrifice shown by Dove and Zitha deserve acknowledgment.”
Amakhosi will travel to the Eastern Cape to face Chippa United in Gqeberha at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday (17:30), aiming to break a four-match winless streak and restore winning form in the Betway Premiership.
