Johannesburg – One of the players assured to be part of and have a key role in the make-up of the new-look Kaizer Chiefs next season is midfielder Nkosingiphile Ngcobo.
Amakhosi coach Gavin Hunt has not made any bones about the fact that the big cleanup is on the cards when the Fifa-imposed ban on the signing of new players lapses at the end of the season.
And among those that will survive Hunt’s big axe as he chops and brings in new blood would be the likes of Ngcobo, who has been outstanding recently, scoring important goals, including the second equalising goal during their 2-2 stalemate against Stellenbosch midweek.
Defender Siyabonga Ngezana, 23, centre-back Njabulo Blom, 21, and midfielder Happy Mashiane, 23, are also not going anywhere as Hunt believes they have a future with the club due to the immense contribution they have made during the tough season of the Fifa ban. Ngcobo, 21, whose confidence is growing with each passing game, was instrumental in the Soweto giants’ sharing the spoils with Stellies, as he could be found everywhere on the pitch distributing the ball, defending, and ultimately one of his attempts ending in the late equaliser.
Ngcobo made his debut aged 19, three months and 21 days against Maritzburg United on March 9 2019. He has four goals to his credit in the DStv Premiership after being promoted from the second team in 2019.
He is also an under-17 youth and under-20 junior international player. Chiefs are, however, struggling in the league this season, lying ninth on the log having won five, drawing a record nine games and losing five, with 10 matches remaining before the end of the season. “Any successful football team will have that transition from young to old, but we need to get the balance right,” Hunt once said during a post-match interview.
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