Awards prove bittersweet for ‘Shabba’

SIPHIWE “Shabba” Tshabalala is embarrassed when people talk about his good season‚ his overriding sentiment for 2016-17 being disappointment at Kaizer Chiefs ending without a trophy again.

Winning the Absa Premiership’s goal of the month for April – his second such award this year – at the PSL’s offices in Parktown yesterday‚ Tshabalala deflected attention at one of his best seasons.

“Thank you for the compliments‚ but for me it’s difficult to say that I had a great season‚ or so far I’ve achieved accolades whilst the team didn’t do well‚” the former Bafana Bafana midfielder said.

“I’m even embarrassed to say that I did well‚ I’ve won goal of the month twice.

“We didn’t have a good season.

“That’s what overshadows everything. That’s the biggest thing for me – to contribute and help the team win at least one trophy.

“I didn’t achieve that‚ so I’m very disappointed about that.”

Responding to what Chiefs legend Tinashe Nengomasha said this week about Tshabalala and central midfielder Willard Katsande standing out as consistently excellent among a sea of mediocrity at Amakhosi‚ Tshabalala said: “I think‚ obv playing for a team of Chiefs’ calibre‚ expectations are higher.

“You are required to perform week in‚ week out for a team that is known for winning trophies.

“And when we don’t win trophies‚ yes we will get criticised.

“And when we win games‚ we will still get criticised.

“And I think it’s how you take criticism. We have to thrive on criticism.

“Whenever you’re being criticised there are always positives to take out of that‚ and it builds you as a person.

“I personally think that we share it as a collective.

“It’s not tennis‚ it’s not golf – but football. So it requires eve effort and contribution to make it a success.

“So I cannot point out players and say‚ ‘Player 1 didn’t do well‚ Player 2 didn’t do well’.

“No. I‚ as a player‚ what did I do to help the other players?

“It was not enough. So we didn’t do it as a collective‚ hence we have to take the punishment as a team.”

Tshabalala won goal of the month for his chip from range over goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse’s head in Chiefs’ 2-2 draw against SuperSport United at Mbombela Stadium on April 29. — TMG