Swallows release ex Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Given Thibedi

The 25-year-old midfielder has battled with injuries recently, and when he has been available it’s not been easy to make the match day squad. 

Thibedi last played for the Dube Birds in December 2021 against Orlando Pirates for only seven minutes of that DStv Premiership clash at the time Dylan Kerr was still head coach of the Soweto outfit. 

“We agreed with the player that it was not working out, so we thought it was in his best interest to allow him to leave early,” Mogashoa explained. 

“The coach [Ernst Middendorp] had made it clear that he did not see him in his plans even though he is a talented player. I have spoken to Given and he is obviously disappointed, but this will give him an opportunity to start afresh.” 

Middendorp is not the only Swallows mentor to have ignored Thibedi, his predecessors Brandon Truter and Kerr also tried in vain to restore him to the first team. 

Truter relied heavily on the player in the then GladAfrica Championship [now The Motsepe Foundation Championship], which is the second tier of SA football, and Thibedi was instrumental in helping the side gain promotion. 

He returned to his parent club Chiefs at the end of that season-long loan spell as coach Gavin Hunt took over at Naturena. 

But was sent back to the Dube Birds and later moving there permanently. 

“It’s unfortunate, the talent is obviously there. But there are so many players in his position and there’s just no room. I also alerted Chiefs, as he is their academy product, to ask if they would have a place for him and they also have a lot of players in his position,” Mogashoa elaborated to SABC Sport.