Mdu is a special player: Zwane gushes as Chiefs youngster shines in first derby

Mduduzi Shabalala is a special player who Arthur Zwane wants to build a successful Kaizer Chiefs around, Amakhosi's coach said after the teen shone in his first Soweto derby on Saturday.

The 19-year-old attacking player completed 90 minutes in Chiefs' 1-0 DStv Premiership victory over Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium with Zwane gushing over his abilities. He added more promising youngsters need to be given opportunities for South African football to grow. 

“It was good to see a youngster like Mduduzi going in there and showing a bit of arrogance on the ball. I just hope he will grow in stature and become one of our best players for the future,” was Zwane's appraisal of Shabalala's performance in his first Soweto derby. 

“'Mdu' is a special talent, he’s like Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, though Mdu is a bit explosive. I’m a believer in giving youngsters an opportunity because I was once a youngster and I was given a fair chance to express myself.

“I might have blossomed late in my career but when you look at what we’re not doing right currently as a nation it’s not giving deserving young players the opportunity to go out there and shine.

“And we expect our national team to have very good players for our backup team like the [SA] Under 23s — a team that should have good players to feed the senior national team.”

Zwane said clubs are stifling talent by not giving young players a platform to grow.

“We’re not giving them the opportunity. As soon as we settle in terms of what we want to achieve from our side you’ll see more youngsters [being promoted to the senior team at Chiefs] because they’re the future of this country.

“Whenever Chiefs have dominated, they had quite a few youngsters from the development. When Mdu plays 90 minutes in a game of this magnitude it’s encouraging.”

Shabalala had fine touches, helping his team create a few scoring opportunities before Pirates defender Olisah Ndah turned a long Edmilson Dove clearance into his own net in the 89th minute, handing Chiefs their fifth league win over Bucs in succession. 

Zwane said he was also happy to see his striking department improve after relying so much on Burundian striker Caleb Bimenyimana for goals in the first half of the season. Bimenyimana now has impressive Democratic Republic of the Congo striker Christian Saile, who was signed in January, to compete with.

Saile played a huge role in Chiefs' victory. He caused Pirates to play the last 30 minutes with 10 men after Innocent Maela was shown a red card for a foul on the striker. 

“It was always going to be a challenge when you’re thin on certain departments,” Zwane said of his strike force.

“We also tried to get the right strikers [ahead of 2022-23] but unfortunately we couldn’t get the players we wanted. In bringing in Caleb we knew it was going to be a challenge for him in terms of adaptation, and even for Christian.

“I’m one coach who believes in taking care of the ball and when you look at the way we play right now, we’re trying to get into the final third as quickly as possible. But we need to do the best when we get there.

“Nothing comes easily in life when you're trying to build the combination right and this week you don’t have so and so and you have to start again bringing in someone else.”

Chiefs remain in the fifth spot with 31 points from 21 matches and will need to win away to PSL rookies Richards Bay FC at King Zwelithini Stadium in Umlazi on Saturday to try to move up the log. Fourth-placed Bay, who have lost their last three matches, are above Chiefs on goal difference. 

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