Kaizer Chiefs head coach Arthur Zwane has opened up on the incident at Naturena Village with teenage sensation Mfundo Vilakazi.
Zwane was seen speaking to the playmaker on the club’s social media channels explaining that he should not be kneeling on the ground or the ball.
The notable act which is popular in ‘kasi football’ where Vilakazi himself rose to prominence in the Philly’s games is something ‘10111’ wants to be eradicated from the professional game.
“Our people need to understand what flair, if people in our country think flair is when you kneel down, wasting time, not eliminating players, that’s not flair, it’s circus,” Zwane said.
“We have so many talented players in this country but I don’t think we’re guiding them properly or doing them any justice to help the game to grow – as much as we love the game.
“If you can look at basketball in America, you get this freestyle and they tell you straight that those freestyle players, they can’t compete at the highest level [in the NBA], why? Because they are freestyle players.
“The minute we accept kasi football will never be close to DStv [Premiership] football, because DStv football is business, simply because some of the players need to go and represent our national team.”
Zwane went on to state that Banyana Banyana showcased in their triumphant 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign that taking the game seriously can yield results and he’s hopeful that other talented players don’t get blinded by the showboating that makes them fan favourites in local football.
“Our ladies just made us proud, did you see any of those players kneeling on the ball? Or kneeling on the ground wasting time. But the entire ground is happy today, why? Because they went there for business,” he continued before opening up on the potential of Vilakazi and making an example of legendary figures in the game.
“We need to teach our players that football is business today and for that matter, it’s a short career. And like you said Mfundo went on to play the final against Stellenbosch, he didn’t waste time and scored a scorcher, are people happy about it? Yes they should be happy because that’s what we expect from Mfundo.
“He’s a great talent and let’s protect him instead of misleading the young man, there’s so many other boys you can talk about, we’ve seen them, they play in those tournaments, can they play in the PSL? They can’t because the game demands.
“So we have special players like Mfundo and many other guys, let’s protect them while it’s still early because Mfundo can go and play for the national team and be a star player. And what they are talking about the difference between the Neymar’s and Messi’s and that.
“The very same players we praising, we praise Ronaldo today but he;’s scoring goals at the age of 40 because that’s his trademark and what are other players’ trademarks? Kneeling on the ball? Or kneeling on the ground wasting time, we don’t need that.
Zwane continued: “Let’s teach our own boys that football is business, we want to win the World Cup, I’m dreaming as a South African that one day, at least before I die, let’s play in a final of a World Cup – as a country.
“We’ve been serving the game for many years and have nothing to show at the international level – so let’s try and build a squad to compete at that level and make us proud, at least the final, even if we don’t win it but there’s no way we’ll get to that level if we allow players to kneel on the ground and waste time.”
