PROFILE VENEZUELAN HAS GIVEN CHIEFS A BIG BOOST
Kaizer Chiefs’ recent upturn in form can in part be put down to the growing influence of Venezuelan forward Gustavo Paez, who has overcome a slow start in the Premier Soccer League and is flourishing.
The 26-year-old was signed in January after an extended trial with Chiefs hopeful that he could have the same impact for them as Colombian forward Leonardo Castro has enjoyed at Mamelodi Sundowns.
And like Castro, it took Paez some months to settle to the pace and physicality of the PSL, initially looking well off the pace but now much more comfortable and effective.
He netted his first goal in the 3-0 Nedbank Cup victory over Stellenbosch FC late last month and it was his harrying that forced Sundowns defender Bangaly Soumahoro to score an own goal in Chiefs’ crucial 2-1 victory on Saturday that throws the PSL title race wide open.
Paez, who also holds dual Italian citizenship, says he is settling in well and is actually ahead of where he had expected to be at this stage.
‘I’m feeling comfortable here. My teammates, the Kaizer Chiefs staff and the rest of the technical team have really helped me to adjust to my new surroundings,” he told his club’s website. “I decided to take it one day at time, but I have settled a lot quicker than I had anticipated. I knew I was here to play football and therefore I had to adapt to the style of play as soon as possible.
“I am learning to understand the South African football culture. It gets better with each game played, getting the feel for the local game.
“South Americans know little or nothing about South Africa and I had no idea that Johannesburg was such a world-class city. The standard of living and quality of life is much better here than at home.
“It is tough in Venezuela right now with the unstable political situation being a threat to the safety of the citizens.”
Paez says that he is now in peak physical condition has helped him improve his performances. “When I joined the team, I had just recovered from some minor surgery. I started slowly, worked hard with the physio and needed a bit of game-time to regain match fitness.
“I struggled with pace and stamina, but I’m now fully fit and can run for 90 minutes without any problems.
“I was telling my agent and my father that the PSL is very technical, there’s a lot of running and the teams pass the ball more than other leagues I have played in. You have to be ver y fit to make it here. I love this style of play, because it suits me.”
Paez has enjoyed something of a journeyman career to date, playing for nine different clubs in countries including back his homeland Venezuela, Slovenia, Italy and Spain, where he turned out for the B side of Real Mallorca.
His most recent team before Chiefs was Estudiantes de Mérida in Venezuela who he left in July 2016.