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Kaizer Chiefs’ assistant coach Cedric Kaze stated that the club’s current struggles are akin to a nine-month pregnancy, emphasizing that it’s time for the team to “deliver.”
Kaze expressed these thoughts during a joint press conference on Wednesday, ahead of Chiefs facing Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup final at Moses Mabhida Stadium this Saturday afternoon.
The Chiefs have faced a trophy drought following Stuart Baxter’s initial tenure with the club in the 2014/15 season when they secured the MTN8 and the league title.
The MTN8 victory occurred on 20 September 2014 at Moses Mabhida Stadium, where George Maluleka’s well-placed free-kick was converted by Tefu Mashamaite against Pirates at the iconic Durban venue.
This MTN8 final was the last meeting between these two Soweto rivals in any domestic cup final, prompting Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi to suggest that Chiefs hold the edge in this competition due to that historical precedent.
“We fully comprehend and share the fans’ frustrations,” Kaze acknowledged. “As we near this game, I believe everyone will agree, after nine months of pregnancy, it’s time to deliver. The entire family must be present on that day – everyone who cares about the club should show up. That’s my only advice to them.”
Meanwhile, Mdu Shabalala has faced significant criticism from Chiefs supporters following their league defeat to Pirates last weekend. Shabalala’s attempted reverse pass was intercepted by Pirates, leading to Mohau Nkota’s perfectly weighted pass for Evidence Makgopa’s equalizing goal.
Pirates ultimately triumphed, coming from behind with Relebohile Mofokeng effectively working with Deon Hotto for the winning goal.
“Regarding Mdu Shabalala and our other young players, I do not place the blame for our loss against Pirates on Mdu or any one individual,” Kaze clarified.
“We lost because collectively we didn’t do enough to secure a victory. This is true for both the starting players and those who came off the bench. We have carefully assessed our strengths and weaknesses from that match this week.
“We appreciate Shabalala’s contributions this season, particularly early on, highlighting his vital role and quality. We believe that in these tough times, we need to support our young players. We trust that they will learn from the experiences on the field as we move forward.”
