I rate Paez but he’s not a goal-scorer‚ says Chiefs legend Shane McGregor

20 December 2017 - 15:49 By Marc Strydom
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Gustavo Paez of Kaizer Chiefs and Nyiko Mobbie of Free State Stars during the Absa Premiership match between Kaizer Chiefs and Free State Stars at Moses Mabhida Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Durban, South Africa.
Gustavo Paez of Kaizer Chiefs and Nyiko Mobbie of Free State Stars during the Absa Premiership match between Kaizer Chiefs and Free State Stars at Moses Mabhida Stadium on November 25, 2017 in Durban, South Africa.
Image: Anesh Debiky/Gallo Images

Leonardo Castro has all the quality to be a good signing for Kaizer Chiefs‚ and is just the sort of big centre-forward the Soweto club need‚ but he needs to be treated with patience by the Soweto giants’ supporters‚ says Amakhosi legend Shane McGregor.

Castro‚ signed this week in a deal to be concluded in the January transfer window‚ brings technical ability‚ skill with his feet‚ and can be just the target man to bring a focal point to Chiefs’ one-dimensional‚ running attack.

The Colombian‚ though‚ will be rusty‚ having been increasingly marginalised at Mamelodi Sundowns in the last year-and-a-half.

Amakhosi’s 1980s and 1990s scoring ace McGregor believes there were external reasons for Castro’s performance sagging on the field.

“Sundowns said he was going home to Colombia a lot‚ and things like that‚ but I think there was a lot of things happening behind the scenes that perhaps stopped Castro from playing‚” McGregor told TimesLIVE on Wednesday.

“He was a great striker and fell by the wayside. He must have been unhappy.

“So he’ll score goals. He really is a good player.

“And I think he’ll really fit into a Chiefs lineup who need someone like that.

"They’ve got all these small guys who run off the ball and don’t have a target man. And I think he’ll do the job.”

McGregor admitted that pressure to hit the ground running on the rusty‚ 28-year-old Castro‚ might be a problem for the new signing.

“My experience was it took me at least a month to get going once I’d had a break‚” the ex-striker said.

“It does affect you fitness-wise‚ but ability it doesn’t.

“Chiefs are going to expect him to come in and be a saviour‚ unfortunately. It’s going to be pressure.

“As long as he doesn’t buckle under that he can definitely do well.

“Let’s put it this way – he can only do better than what they’ve got at the moment.

"They’re not scoring goals.

“I mean‚ I rate that (Gustavo) Paez‚ but he’s not a goal-scorer.

"There’s a big deference between a playmaker and a goal-scorer.”

Castro was at his best at Sundowns feeding off of the “CBD” trio (Castro‚ Khama Billiat and Keagan Dolly) who were so influential winning the 2015-16 Absa Premiership title.

Can he get a similar sort of service at Chiefs?

“If they play him in that position and support him in that position‚ he can‚” McGregor said.

“And it doesn’t necessarily mean Chiefs changing the way they play for him.

“They don’t have to play long ball to him all the time‚ or put in big crosses.

"He’s good at holding it up with his feet and bringing players in‚ which is different to what they’ve got‚ which is everyone running away form the ball.

“And that’s what Chiefs need.”


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