Zwane rounds on inconsistent keeper Bvuma
KAIZER CHIEFS’ reserve team coach Arthur Zwane is adamant goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma cost the team the match on Saturday against Ajax Cape Town after succumbing to a 5-4 loss at Dobsonville Stadium. Amakhosi have endured a poor run of form at home this season, having lost three and won just one of four.
The only home game where they’ve managed to collect points was the 3-0 win against Chippa United, late November. Speaking after the Ajax game, Zwane bemoaned poor goalkeeping from his first choice shot-stopper.
“The guy who killed us today is Bruce. You can’t just stand on the six-yard box and ball-watch. The guys who scored were close to Bvuma, about three-four metre distance. We had about four chances like that but that boy (Lassina Traore) from Ajax, he took about three steps to cut the ball inside,” Zwane, pictured, said. “It was just poor defending and being sloppy. It’s even worse now with the keeper, because if the defenders are making mistakes then the keeper should be the one that’s bringing everyone into the game.” And the wheels came off. “Bvuma is a first team keeper, he must lead by example. He must help the young Mushini (Nkosingiphile Ngcobo) to grow. But if he’s chickening out as a first team player, what do you expect? He’s the one that killed us today, I don’t want to lie, I have to be honest…I want him to be a complete player but then if he can’t take it (criticism) then he’s not good enough to be a Chiefs player.”
Bvuma is currently the third-choice goal-minder at the club but with the transfer window currently underway, that could soon change.
Reserve goalkeeper Brilliant Khuzwayo has been rumoured to be on his way out of Naturena. Khuzwayo’s possible move means that Bvuma might have to step up and fill in the void. But after Bvuma’s poor performance over the weekend, Zwane reckons the Leratong-born player is far from being ready to cover for captain Itumeleng Khune.
“Now when this (poor performance) happens, what do you do or what do you say as a reserve team coach? You don’t know what to say…as much as you want to try. That alone – that he could possibly play second fiddler to Khune – should motivate him to work even harder,’’Zwane said.
“I cannot talk for him because I want to protect him. He must know that when doing this, I can take it, the people (management) up there can take it but when the first team plays, they can never take it.’’
@Mihlalibaleka