Open letter to Kaizer Chiefs: Please don’t promote Neo Bohloko YET! 

Kaizer Chiefs could be on the verge of promoting a 15-year-old striker, but would that be wise?

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Chiefs have had no problems promoting players from their academy of late, with another on the cards.

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In recent years, Chiefs have promoted Samkelo Zwane, Wandile Duba and Mduduzi Shabalala. They are now set to be joined by a fresher generation in Mfundo Vilakazi and striker Donay Johnson. The current Amakhosi squad also features other generations of players promoted firm the academy. You can go as far back as veteran goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune, who has spent his whole career at the club thus far. There is also the generation of Happy Mashiane, Nkosingiphile Ngcobo and Sabelo Radabe. 

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This publication reported on Tuesday that, 15-year-old striker Neo Bohloko is set to join the first team. Should that prove to be true, he would be apart of the generation of Vilakazi and Johnson. Now there is no surprise that there has been a great deal of attention and interest in the player. He has been on a hot streak for the Chiefs DStv Diski Challenge side, scoring 6 goals in 8 games recently. 

Chiefs senior strikers misfiring

Bohloko is also the youngest player to score in the DDC, having netted at the age of 14 exactly a year ago. Now, with Chiefs and their strikers have struggled for goals in the past seasons, you understand the temptation. The club signed Ranga Chivaviro and Jasond Gonzales at the beginning of the campaign. Unfortunately for the duo and the club management, however, they both haven’t had the desired effect as yet. 

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Chivaviro joined Chiefs from Marumo Gallants, amid much fanfare due to scoring 17 goals for the since relegated side. Amakhosi had fought hard to get the Limpopo-born striker to Naturena, with Pirates reaching a transfer agreement first with Gallants. But the player, pushed for a move to the Glamour Boys, as he is a lifelong supporter of the club. Since signing for the club though, the target man has barely threatened to reach last season’s heights. In the 13 games he has played for the club so far, he has only managed two goals. 

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Those, however, are two goals more than fellow new striker signing Gonzalez, who is yet to get off the mark. The Colombian came to the country with the reputation of being a goal machine, but has found the going tough. He has not managed to find the back of the net in the 10 games he has played for Chiefs. 

How will Bohloko be expected to cope?

Looking at how experienced senior strikers have failed to carry the burden, what chance does Bohloko have? Should he come into the Chiefs side that isn’t in the greatest of form, with the expectation of solving their goal scoring problems at 15? Should he struggle like you would expect a teenager to, how long will his confidence be? Could you be destroying a promising career before it has even begun? 

Bohloko’s predecessors a good case study?

In a similar situation, Chiefs once promoted at 17-year-old Keletso Sifama, due to his prolific DDC record. It wasn’t long until the player was sent on several loans, and has never returned to the fold since. Most recently, it was Wandile Duba who mesmerised fans, but has failed to get lift off at senior level. With those examples in mind, would it now be wiser for Amakhosi to leave Bohloko in the DDC. Let the youngster have another full season of DDC football at 16 and see if he can perform at a similar level consistently. 

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If Bohloko still proves a goal machine, then maybe it would be safer for Chiefs to slowly integrate him. But for now, promoting a 15-year-old could produce more negatives than positives.