Johannesburg – Kaizer Chiefs boss Jessica Motaung says that out-of-favor young midfielders Happy Mashiane and Nkosingiphile Ngcobo are not going anywhere.
This comes after it emerged that the two dribbling wizards are headed for loan spells outside of Naturena, as the duo has seen little action since coach Stuart Baxter returned for his second spell with Amakhosi.
Speaking to Sunday World at the Supersport Industry Leaders Programme event, Motaung said they would not bow down to the supporters and fire coach Baxter.
Amakhosi supporters have been calling for Baxter’s scalp since the season started, blaming the Englishman for tampering with the youthful squad that reached the CAF Champions League final against Egypt’s Al Ahly last season.
Also read: How Baxter rescued Chiefs from misery to climb the ladder
Mashiane and Ngcobo had a fantastic Champions League campaign under coach Gavin Hunt and his assistant Arthur Zwane, until the former was fired for the bad patch in the league before the end of last season.
Mashiane and Ngcobo staked a claim in the starting line-up until new players such as Phathu Nange, Alexander Cole, Kgaogelo Sekgota, and Keagan Dolly arrived and unseated them from the first team.
“Look, we had a very challenging but remarkable campaign last season. The boys did extremely well considering the challenges. They contributed immensely to the team and there is no reason for us to allow them to leave the club.
“The coach as well is settling down nicely and working very hard to turn the situation around. At this moment, no one is going anywhere. The team is in the process of adapting to the new coach’s methods and we are not having a lot of worries. I think we are beginning to be stable after a rather complicated start,” said Motaung.
“If you were to compare last season to now, we also released a lot of players and brought in new faces. We needed to strengthen the squad after limping through last season with a very thin squad. But we achieved much against all the odds. Who would have imagined or thought of us making history by reaching the finals of CAF? At the club, we always have long-term plans, but sometimes things do not go
according to plan and as management we have to intervene and have brought back Stuart.”
Before the weekend’s round of fixtures, Chiefs were lying fifth on the DStv Premiership log. Today they have a tough away encounter against Swallows, who are in second last position.
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