Kaizer Chiefs show youth focus with first team promotions
January 3, 2023

Kaizer Chiefs are set to promote three players from the junior ranks to reinforce the first team.

Chiefs have been eager to reduce the average age of the first team squad and also make the most of their good work at the academy.

Mduduzi Shabalala and Wandile Duba have been made unavailable to the DDC team.

Meanwhile Samkelo Zwane will also start training with the first team at Naturena.

Mduduzi Shabalala Kaizer Chiefs
Mduduzi Shabalala – Photo: Facebook – Kaizer Chiefs

However, Zwane will remain eligible for DDC selection.

Kaizer Chiefs head of technical and youth development academy Molefi Ntseki revealed the changes.

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Ntseki gave a glowing year-end review.

“Because of the quality that was assembled for the Engen competition and the DDC, we saw three of our reserve team players getting promoted to the first team, Mduduzi Shabalala, Samkelo Zwane and Wandile Duba,” Ntseki wrote in his year-end review.

“From 1 December they started training full-time with the first team squad, because before that Mdu and Duba were still at school and writing exams. Samkelo will train with the first team but still play for the DDC team.

“We are very happy to see our development players progressing to the first team because players these days are very expensive so it’s good to develop players that understand the culture and tradition of the Club.

“We give credit to all the development coaches who contributed to the progress of these players. Also we commend the first team coach for his understanding of the development of players at our academy. After proper profiling and assessment coach Zwane identified these three players for promotion to his squad.”

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Ntseki also credited the ownership with investing in youth players.

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“Credit must first be given to our Executive Chairman, Dr. Kaizer Motaung for the investment he put into youth development,” Ntseki said.

“We also want to thank the board of directors because running a youth programme is very expensive. 

“It’s not only about the monetary side of investment, it is also about human resources that are put into it; the type of coaches that we bring in, the type of players we recruit to the academy with a very clear objective of what we want to achieve at Kaizer Chiefs. 

“We are thankful to all the staff members involved in making it a success.”

Source: https://www.thesouthafrican.com/sport/soccer/psl-south-africa/kaizer-chiefs-show-youth-focus-breaking-3-january-2022/

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