C hiefs’ development hindrance!

Football is a very important form of entertainment which is why people flock our stadiums in their numbers. The Beautiful Game is not just to be enjoyed by the supporters but the footballers themselves, as well. With that in mind, how many of Kaizer Chiefs’ youngsters do you think really enjoy playing football, at the moment?

Can you imagine how it feels to be a Chiefs development player or youngster in the last couple of seasons? What is there for them to celebrate or enjoy? When you are Mfundo Vilakazi, who was rewarded with a first team contract last week, looking to make a name for yourself but things are just not happening for the team, it must weigh you down. It sets you back because you are constantly under pressure, as people expect miracles from you instead of allowing you to grow. Due to the team’s current form, the extreme pressure and volatile environment, unlike your contemporaries from other teams, you have very little to enjoy on the field of play. At that age, you want to play football for fun but how do you do that when everyone around you is on a panic mode?

You watch Siyabonga Mabena at Mamelodi Sundowns, Devin Titus at Stellenbosch FC, Relebohile Mofokeng at Orlando Pirates and many other players of your age enjoying their football and expressing themselves on a regular basis on the field of play. How does that make you feel when the same cannot be said about you because your team is in such a deep hole? Your seniors, who are supposed to be out there guiding and protecting you, fear for their careers because they are under tremendous pressure. Try as they may, things are just not happening for them and their team. The technical team is not sure whether they are coming or going, because of the instability that has been taking place over the years, while the results are simply not forthcoming.

Your counterparts from more successful and stable teams are enjoying the perks of having senior players around them. These are seniors who put their arms around the youngsters, showing them the light and the way. You watch these things happen from a distance while, in your little corner, your team is under so much pressure that they expect you to make things happen for them, rather than them making things happen for you. That is exactly what is happening with the Chiefs youngsters, and it is sad to see because they are now suffering. They are suffering the consequences of the team’s poor decisions. They are the ones who bear the brunt because they are the victims of circumstances. They happen to have been promoted at the wrong time, a time when the team is nearing a decade without any silverware, which is unheard of when you talk about this prestigious team.

Thanks to the team’s disastrous performances over the years, people now think these youngsters are of poor quality than those who came before them. They don’t rate them as highly as youngsters or development products from the other teams. That may not necessarily be true because think of a player like Jabu Mahlangu, for example, when he was introduced to the senior team. He was surrounded by international senior players who were top performers. Things were happening for the team, as they were always challenging for honours, and it was therefore easy for the technical team to keep the conveyer belt going. Because the team was doing well, these players were allowed to become kids, make mistakes, pay the school fees and become better with more regular game-time. They were allowed to entertain the supporters and given the freedom to make mistakes and grow.

Do the current Chiefs players, especially youngsters, have those privileges? They simply don’t. Because there is no stability in the coaching department, they’ve seen coaches come and go. There was a period when they were not allowed to sign players, due to the FIFA ban, and the club was therefore forced to look within, which is why these youngsters were enjoying regular game-time, but all of that has since changed. The more coaches change, the less chances of them retaining their places in the team, while their peers from other teams are progressing in their careers. This can’t be easy for Amakhosi’s youngsters or development products because they were not promoted to sit on the bench or in the stands. They were promoted to form part of the club’s future by making an immediate impact so that they can, one day, enjoy legendary status at the club. It’s easy for people to dismiss these youngsters as of poor quality but, the reality is, you only get better with regular game-time. It is easy to introduce youngsters when the team is doing well because, once again, they have the privilege to become youngsters and grow. That’s why you can’t compare Chiefs youngsters to their counterparts from other clubs because they are constantly on the back foot. Those who were raised by, “You are not like the other kids,” will relate to how it feels to be young, talented, ambitious and playing for the Naturena-based club. Surely, it must sometimes feel like these youngsters are cursed! They watch their counterparts, most of whom they’ve played against in the youth ranks, making huge strides in their careers while they are struggling for game-time and a fair chance.

You’ve got to feel for these Chiefs youngsters because the lack of stability in the team puts them in an unfair position where their value gets questioned daily. There seems to be this dark cloud hanging over the team and the young players must be the most affected by all that is not good, happening at Naturena. Young players thrive in a conducive environment where everyone enjoys what they are doing. Players should be excited about going to training and always looking forward to representing their team on match day. However, if they must perform miracles under difficult conditions daily, it hinders their development because, just like their seniors, they find themselves scared to make mistakes. They continuously fear the backlash should what they are trying to do not work out or they miss a chance. Young players need to express themselves. For them to express themselves, the environment has got to be conducive so that they can improve.

Sadly, the longer this drought continues at Naturena, the less chances of their development products enjoying their game and the team reaping the rewards of their investment in them. What has been happening is not a true reflection of the Chiefs development structures because, watching their DStv Diski Challenge team, one can tell there is a lot of talent at the club. They are causing a bottleneck because the first team has not been covering themselves in glory for years now. What has been happening with Chiefs’ development products is subsequent to the team’s instability and poor results, not a reflection on their quality. That’s why it is imperative for the Naturena-based club to sort themselves out and get their act together sooner than later.

If the seniors are nervous and uncomfortable, how are they expected to play the ‘Big brother’ role to the younger soldiers, they so desperately need, in the team? If the technical is not settled, what are the chances of them prioritising development products? Not everyone can stand the pressure that comes with playing for big teams but, with proper support structure around, the weight becomes a lot more bearable for the youngsters. That’s the difference between current youngsters and their predecessors. You’ve got to feel for Chiefs youngsters!