Kaizer Chiefs senior players Keagan Dolly and Zitha Kwinika are taking it upon themselves to guide up-and-coming youngsters Samkelo Zwane and Mduduzi Shabalala. The young, dynamic duo was recently rewarded with professional contracts by the Chiefs management after impressing the technical staff after they were promoted from the junior ranks. Zwane has just turned 21, while Shabalala is just 18 years old.
Zwane started against Golden Arrows and had a barnstorming performance in Amakhosi’s 2-0 victory. The two players were also introduced at half-time in the Carling Black Label Cup against Orlando Pirates and they changed the complexion of the game, even though Chiefs lost the match via penalty kicks.
Said Dolly: “It is very important for us as senior players to try and help them on and off the field. But for us, it is mainly to lead by example and carry ourselves like professionals. We try and talk to them when we get to spend time with them.
“I think they have opportunities to play now, they are very humble and come from the academy and they know what it takes to be part of the team. Shabalala has a lot of confidence when he has the ball. He is not afraid to play and I think he wants to achieve things — he is always taking risks. He grabs his opportunities and you could see when he went overseas on trials and that is a key factor that he has.”
Kwinika agreed with Dolly: “It is important for me to help them because I have been where they are now and I understand their behaviour. It is upon us to guide them and show them the way. At the end of the day we are professional footballers and we can control what we are able to control like instructions on the field.”
Chiefs coach Arthur “10111” Zwane explained further that the boys were grabbing the opportunity given to them and they would have to keep them grounded and focused.
Dolly also rubbished Swallows FC coach Ernst Middendorp utterances that Mamelodi Sundowns had already won the league title and that they should be crowned champions in these early stages.
“We are only reaching halfway now, there’s still a lot to play for. In the past, Sundowns won the league in the last 20 minutes, so anything can happen. We are not focusing on Sundowns, we have our own race to run.”
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