Kaizer Chiefs defenders Njabulo Ngcobo and Austin Dube will get their chance to play, according to head coach Arthur Zwane who explained their recent absence.
‘Roadblock’, the 2019/20 PSL Defender of the Season has not featured for Chiefs over their past six games in all competitions while Dube has yet to make a single appearance this season.
Zitha Kwinika, Siyabonga Ngezana and new signing Dove Edmilson have firmly been above the pecking order in recent weeks but Zwane says it’s just a matter of trying to find consistency and stability rather than their lack of efforts or abilties.
“There’s no doubt [Ngcobo and Dube] are good players,” Zwane said in the pre-match press conference ahead of their 2nd leg MTN8 semi-final against AmaZulu.
“But when you’re preparing a team you will have challenges here and there. You look at how you’re conceding goals, how you’re building up from the back and what can help you get to the final third much quicker.
“Once you get those players, when you’re building a team, you’ll go for the players you feel will help you produce the results so that everyone can settle in. At the moment [the results] have fluctuated a bit, we’re trying to get consistency.”
Zwane eluded that they may have been afforded chances had it not been for their recent slump as they drew 1-1 against Usuthu in the first leg, lost to Chippa United and followed that with the 2-2 draw against TS Halaxt on Wednesday evening.
“At one stage we won three games in a row and we thought, you know, we’re getting it right but still, we made costly mistakes. But because of the character, these boys have shown so far we’ve managed to come back and grind the results,” he continued.
“So their time will come like any other players, there are many other players who are not playing, of which I believe they also deserve to play, but right now we need to build a team that will help others also settle and feel at home.
“At the moment the spirit is high in the camp, everyone feels wanted and important and they know their team will come and most definitely when it comes they will be ready to perform.”
