Striker Jasond Gonzalez. Photo: Via Kaizer Chiefs website.
Johnson begs Kaizer Chiefs fans to show patience with foreign imports
Cavin Johnson has called for lowered expectations of and a little more leeway to Kaizer Chiefs’ foreign players to allow them to settle down at the AmaKhosi.
Striker Jasond Gonzalez. Photo: Via Kaizer Chiefs website.
This plea from the Kaizer Chiefs interim coach comes amid widespread criticism of several of the club’s foreign legion of players for their perceived substandard performances so far this season.
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Kaizer Chiefs are currently sixth on the DSTV Premiership log, 11 points behind the table-topping Mamelodi Sundowns, who have three games in hand.
So far this season Chiefs have won just seven of their 16 leagues games, lost six and drew three. Those results and the manner in which they came about — in terms of on-field performances — have left AmaKhosi fans both frustrated and infuriated with their players and in particular with their foreign squad members.
Two players in particular that have left the wrath of Chiefs supporters is Democratic Republic of Conga star Christian Salie and Colombian Jasond Gonzalez.
Christian Salie, who is from the Democratic Republic of Congo, has just netted three league goals this season.
Since joining Chiefs at the start of the season, the 24-year-old striker has featured in 10 matches (four starts and three substitute appearances in the Premiership and three substitute displays in cup competitions) for a grand total of close to seven hours on the field without scoring a single goal.
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“He can score goals. Patience, it’s all I ask for. Salie has broken his duck and Ranga Chivaviro too but not Gonzalez,” Johnson said.
“Strikers are the same as goalkeepers, they are crazy people. At training, they score goals, they look good. But when they play against an opponent, which you which you can only emulate up to a certain level, they tend not to find the back of the net and that makes them frustrated.
“So yeah, I hope that he’s able to get his head scoring, or his feet scoring, whatever they have to do and then maybe it will come better,” the Kaizer Chiefs boss added.
But the Kaizer Chiefs coach said it was always a question of adaptation.
“With all respect to him and to Salie, the South African game is not easy to adapt to. I believe as a foreigner, especially when you speak French or you speak Spanish, it’s really difficult for you too to adapt. They both very good people and very good strikers,” he added.
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KAIZER CHIEFS MANAGER CALVIN JOHNSON
