Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Lebohang Maboe has emphatically refuted suggestions that the co-coaches at the club, Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef, have lost the dressing room, reiterating that the players have faith in the pair regardless of recent struggles.
Chiefs, who meet Durban City at FNB Stadium on Sunday in their next league game, are on the brink of losing four successive league games.
In recent days it has been widely speculated that the players at Naturena are no longer willing to fight for the incumbent coaches. Kaze is also known to have previously questioned the squad’s attitude.
However, Maboe wants to put the rumours to bed. “There’s no such thing [referring to the talks of the coaches losing the dressing room] … there’s absolutely no such thing,” Maboe emphasised during a media conference at Naturena on Thursday.
We take accountability for whatever that’s happened ... we’re not blaming anyone. We know we are all in this situation together ... There’s no-one from anywhere who’ll come and save us
— Zitha Kwinika, Amakhosi defender
“These [Kaze and Khalil] are our coaches, these are our leaders and for us as players we share the same goal, which is helping the team to get maximum points in each and every game. It’s just unfortunate that the past three weeks have damaged the work that we’ve been doing for the past three, four months.”
Maboe, who only joined Chiefs in August last year, as a free-agent after leaving Mamelodi Sundowns, is positive the Amakhosi will return to its winning ways.
“This is a situation that we are faced with right now and we are confident, working together, that we are going to turn the corner,” said the 31-year-old.
Amakhosi defender Zitha Kwinika insisted the situation had been exaggerated. “To be honest with you, it’s not as bad as it seems if you look where we have been and where we are now. But it’s unfortunate that the brand we serve requires you to be at your best every week, every day.
“We take accountability for whatever that’s happened ... we’re not blaming anyone. We know we are all in this situation together, so it’s up to us to say, ‘We want to change this, we know that we’re the ones that are in position to change this.’ There’s no-one from anywhere who’ll come and save us.”
Sowetan
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.