Zwane Admits Promising Chiefs Duo Lack Tactical Structure

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Arthur Zwane admits their development products Samkelo Zwane and Mduduzi Shabalala are still playing on instinct at times and need time and support to develop with regular first-team football.

Chiefs have won five matches consecutively for the first team under Zwane’s tutelage after the 2-1 win over ten-man Stellenbosch at FNB Stadium this weekend.

However, there were stages of the second half where they lost control of the game and tactical structure, that, after an impressive opening half where Zwane and Shabalala showed glimpses of what the future may hold in the famous gold and black shirt.

But it’s been the case for most of the season, where the clear pattern of play or rather identity of what Zwane is trying to implement has now been evident, leading to an inconsistent season.

“We know when you are working on something you will have youngsters playing football on pure instinct rather than understanding the structure because everything is about [having] a [tatcical] structure at this level,” Zwane said when asked by iDiski Times about the duo showing some complacency in the opening half.

“Yes, as soon as they get excited sometimes they become a bit loose because of what they hear from the stands and then they think it’s easy and we end up losing on the structure. That is where we [as coaches have to] come in to remind them, these people are one man down, let’s murder them, let’s bury them.

“As they grow and develop, in South Africa, I think players mature at the age of 26, 27, very few that you see excelling at the age of 20, 21, they still need a lot of guidance.”

Zwane went on to win the Man of the Match award for his industrious display in midfield but he, and Shabalala were guilty of playing to the crowd at times and not showing the desire to bury them game with Stellies at their mercy with one man short.

“We have to play them with people who are experienced, that’s why we have players like Keagan Dolly on the field, as long as he’s there. He’s been in France [and Bafana Bafana], otherwise, if you’re not going to have a spine with leaders maybe as a front man, in midfield and in defence and goalkeeper – then you might have a problem,” Zwane added.

“You need people who can lead these youngsters while we’re trying to build an identity. With them, yes, we have an advantage as they’ve been in the development and that is why with Samkelo you see these glimpses of him getting the ball at the right areas, dangerous areas where we can hurt people.

“Players like Sithebe and Yusuf, you still see a little bit of instinct here and there [not structure] and you understand why… when the results are not forthcoming, we want to win the game at all costs and we end up losing our structure.

“So what is key, is to grind results and as long as we grind the results, the structure will become visible [as wins pile up], everyone will see this is how Chiefs play because it builds the confidence of the team you know.

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“In the past, it’s been a rollercoaster of ups and downs [in form] and we under pressure, even now, we’re under pressure, we need to win the next game, because we’re Kaizer Chiefs but I’m sure most of us saw the potential and quality young Samkelo possesses and also Mduduzi and many other players today.

“But it’s just lapses of concentration, that’s why we’re coaches, at one stage I was a player who made mistakes that were critical that cost the team, I learned from those and now it’s my turn to guide these players, and make them aware, they will grow as time goes on.”

Chiefs face relegation-threatened Marumo Gallants next before their Nedbank Cup quarter-final against Royal AM in Kwa-Zulu Natal.