Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Cedric Kaze has defended the club’s handling of new signings Ethan Chislett and Nkanyiso Shinga, insisting both players will get their chance to impress despite not featuring so far this season.
Chislett, who was born in Durban but grew up in the UK, joined the club from English League One side Port Vale and was expected to play a key creative role in central midfield. Former Amajita defender Shinga, meanwhile, arrived after a nomadic seven-year spell in Portugal.
It was also suggested that Chislett, whose father played for Manning Rangers in the 1990s, saw the move as a chance to push for a place in the Bafana Bafana squad for this year’s World Cup in North America.
However, with the season now at its halfway point, neither of the new signings has played a minute for the club.
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Speaking in December, former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper William Shongwe questioned the club’s recruitment, suggesting Chiefs should admit they had erred with the two signings.
“To think that since we saw him in pre-season, nothing has happened, there must be something wrong. They must just own up that they made a big mistake,” Shongwe said about Shinga, before echoing the same sentiment about Chislett.
Kaze has since explained the reasoning behind the players’ absence, insisting there is still plenty of time for them to make an impact in a long and demanding campaign.
“The difficult part is that players who don’t play often can become frustrated,” Kaze said, according to Kick Off. “But I have spoken to them and explained that we are competing in three competitions as well as the league.
“The schedule is going to be very demanding. We have even spent the last two weeks planning how to manage it. There will be times when we travel directly from one venue to another without returning to Johannesburg.
“For example, we might play in Bloemfontein against Marumo Gallants and then have a weekend game in Durban against ZESCO United. That makes logistics and recovery challenging, and everyone understands that now.”
Kaze stressed that patience, rather than panic, would be key as Chiefs navigate the second half of the season, insisting squad depth will soon become a necessity rather than a luxury.
With domestic and continental commitments set to stretch the players physically and mentally, the co-coach believes opportunities will inevitably arise – and when they do, Chislett and Shinga will be expected to seize their moment and justify the faith the club showed in bringing them to Naturena.
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