Kaizer Chiefs youngsters should be protected from carrying the team – Manqoba Mngqithi

Mngqithi was responding to a question after his side humiliated Chiefs, beating them 4-0 in a Carling Knockout quarterfinal match played in front of a sold-out FNB Stadium on Saturday night.

Chiefs were no match for Sundowns, and the score could have been worse. The club has been heavily reliant on its young players, and Mngqithi says as much as they are good, they shouldn’t be carrying the team.

"I don't want to sound bad but I think the youngsters that Kaizer Chiefs has brought into their first team are very good young boys, very good young boys. That Shabalala [Mdu] is a big factor in the game and he also got some very good moments today,” Mngqithi said.

“Duba [Wandile] played exceptionally well. I believe this is the feeling I have when I look at these boys. Vilakazi [Mfundo] when he's given a chance, they are all very good football players but the biggest mistake that you can make with players like those is to put the load of a team as big as Kaizer Chiefs on their shoulders."

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A player like Mdu Shabalala needed to score a quick brace midweek to steal a point during the 2-all draw against rookies Magesi FC.

Wandile Duba has been playing more as a support striker, with Samkelo Zwane playing more in the midfield and Mfundo Vilakazi coming from the bench.

Mngqithi also feels for Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi because these young players are the best talent he’s got on the team.

"But honestly speaking, I think those are exceptionally gifted players. I would love to have them in my team as well, I don't want to lie to you. So, I wouldn't want now to look like because maybe the people we target, we don't target youngsters, we target more senior players because we know some of the shortcomings they would have,” the coach added.

“But these youngsters I don't want to lie to you, they are all very impressive and I know the coach is probably forced to play them because they are the best players that they have at the moment.

“It's just that my fear is if the load and the pressure is on their shoulders, it might probably break some of them down. I'm still very impressed with how the coach and the team has really played these boys because I think they are very influential in almost all the good results that Chiefs got, a youngster was involved."