Kaizer Chiefs interim coach Arthur Zwane has used the example of Mamelodi Sundowns’ excellent recruitment when discussing why Zambian striker Lazarous Kambole has struggled at Naturena.
Kambole joined the Glamour Boys from ZESCO United in Zambia in 2019 and many thought Chiefs had found a new goalscorer after his exploits in the CAF Champions League and for his national team.
However, Kambole has only netted two goals in 44 appearances for Amakhosi and has only made four appearances this campaign.
On Sunday, Zwane raised eyebrows by naming the 28-year-old in his starting XI and he later explained that the Zambian striker showcases how the club have done mistakes in their recruitment in the past.
“One of the mistakes that we’ve done as a club is bringing in players and not knowing how to use them,” he told reporters.
“All players that should join Kaizer Chiefs now, should know how, why we’re bringing them to the club and should know how we play them to their strength so that they can also enjoy their football.
“That’s what a team like Mamelodi Sundowns is doing, they check their players – whether they get a player from Black Leopards or whether they get a player from Cape Town City, as soon as they join Sundowns you can see they improve, because the technical staff there, they’ve got special roles, who understand their roles individually and they’ve been doing very well.
“That’s how I think South African football should be better, so there should be other teams as well. You know to play the football, the kind of football that will bring people to the stadium, wanting to watch and enjoy.
“We want all the families, when Chiefs, Pirates is playing, Sundowns and other teams as well. People shouldn’t be worried about what’s the point of going to the stadium because they’ll watch ‘kick n-rush’ football and all that. The people they should enjoy and once they enjoy then our country will also change for the better, will improve.
“And we’ll also be able to develop players that can easily go and compete with the rest of the world and do well because they’ll be using that confidence. So far, Sundowns is the only team that is doing well in that aspect, so I think we need to – all of us as South African coaches – try to help because it’s not just about the clubs but also our national teams.
“The standard of football has just dropped too drastically and we need to change things and change things for the better.”
Chiefs now sit five points behind second-placed Cape Town City with two games to go. Amakhosi’s hopes to qualify for CAF Champions League are slowly slipping away from them.
The Glamour Boys will face Sekhukhune United on Saturday afternoon at 15:00.
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