Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs face another season without any silverware as their fans struggle to recall when last the cub lifted a title. Image: X @KaizerChiefs/
Johnson defends under-fire Kaizer Chiefs star
Cavin Johnson has come to the defence of Mshini.
Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs face another season without any silverware as their fans struggle to recall when last the cub lifted a title. Image: X @KaizerChiefs/
Kaizer Chiefs interim coach Cavin Johnson has dismissed criticism of Nkosingiphile Ngcobo being overweight.
Ngcobo is back in the fold for Kaizer Chiefs, but can’t finish 90
Nkosingiphile Ngcobo has finally shrugged off nagging injuries to take his place back in thre Amakhosi squad. However, he’s been unable to finish 90 minutes in a match this term. That has drawn criticism, along with his perceived weight gain.
Interim boss Johnson insists ‘Mshini’ is in good shape and that the club has top-notch facilities and protocols to ensure players stay in the best possible shape throughout the season.
“We have one of the best fitness centres in the country, best fitness measures in the country and when you do those things everything comes out perfect,” Johnson said.
Appearances can be deceiving
Johnson has shrugged off concerns about 24-year-old Ngcobo’s fitness and weight issues. The player recently signed a new two-year deal and the club’s interim boss believes he can become a key operator for the Naturena team. Johnson also went on to address the club’s goal-shy 2024 and another goalless stalemate, this time against Moroka Swallows.
“If I’m telling you, you look fat, but you’re not fat, you look normal, you understand what I’m saying. Who are we as outside people to decide whether a person is fat or not? Do I look fat or overweight?”
“Football is only nice when you see goals,” Johnson admitted. “[Throughout] my career, I’ve always believed if you score two, I score three; if you score six, I score seven.”
“It’s not about anxiety,” he clarified. “It’s a mentality thing. We’re dealing with that generation of athletes [who are constantly bombarded by social media]… You guys are writing, talking, TikToks, tweeting… Maybe I need to get into that space to help them improve.”
GOALS CONTINUE TO BE A PROBLEM FOR THE GLAMOUR BOYS
In 18 league matches this term, Chiefs have scored 16 goals. You don’t need a maths degree to deduce that a side scoring less than a goal per game has serious issues. This is not a new problem though. In 2022-23, the Glamour Boys notched up just 32 league goals in 30 matches. It’s a miserly average for a team of this stature. What’s next? A midweek encounter with Golden Arrows and then a massive Soweto Derby with Orlando Pirates next weekend.
COLUMN: Boring boring Kaizer Chiefs
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