Kaizer Chiefs coach waxes lyrical about Thulani Mabaso | OneFootball

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Chiefs boss praises Mabaso

Photo: Thulani Mabaso

Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze has heaped praise on Thulani Mabaso, who made his league debut against Golden Arrows on Tuesday.

The 21-year-old lifted the Dstv Diski Challenge (DDC) title with the Glamour Boys last season, and was subsequently included in the senior team's pre-season camp in Netherlands.

Reflecting on Mabaso's cameo, Kaze attributed it to consistency and character, stressing that the player earned the minutes on merit, in contrast to those who get opportunities on a silver platter.

“I think he's a player that showed us that he can be consistent because I have been in the youth set-up before, but I believe that here in South Africa we give too much gifts to the young players,” he said.

"But a player like Mabaso we went with him to Netherlands in pre-season, he did a very good pre-season. But we wanted to see that he can be consistent, he did a very good league with the DDC, went to England, and played the Carling Cup.

"He's a player with character, he's not scared, he doesn't shy away when he plays with players who are experienced and we want to have those players of character and we want to have players with personality as well.

"They need to show that they deserve to be there, not one good game and then the players get promoted, but he needs to show that he's a player that can bring something.

The Burundian tactician went on to dissect the qualities the Chiefs DDC captain possesses, with hope that ‘Touch’, as the player is fondly known will grow confident in the first-team.

“He gives you the aggressivity, he's a player that doesn't like to play backward passes, he likes to play forward, and as well he has the quality of shooting and he finds himself in very good positions of shooting,” Kaze added.

"The minutes that he got today, I hope that they will give him confidence going forward. We need his performance to be consistent, not to be a one night show.