Kaizer Chiefs’ head coach Nasreddine Nabi has shared the strategies he and the club management plan to implement for integrating academy players, emphasizing the abundance of promising talents within their DStv Diski Challenge [DDC] squad.
As the reserve team pursues their first-ever championship title, Amakhosi boasts a wealth of talent among their youth players, including Naledi Hlongwane, Takalani Mazhamba, Kabelo Nkgwesa, and Aden McCarthy, all of whom are considered strong candidates for elevation to the first team.
McCarthy, serving as the captain of the DDC, has played a vital role in the club’s title ambitions and was included in the matchday roster against Mamelodi Sundowns in the semi-final. The Chiefs’ coach highlighted the need for a thoughtful integration of young talents into the senior squad while undergoing squad reconstruction.
“The plan we discussed with the board this season is to develop a strong team while also monitoring our younger talents, the DDC players, and ensuring they have opportunities. You witnessed Duba excel as a standout performer in the match against Sundowns,” Nabi explained, with translations by Khalil Ben Youssef.
“Aden [McCarthy] is part of our plans, and we are constantly working to bring DDC players into our training sessions and assess their readiness without concentrating on their age. If they deserve a chance to play, they should—age shouldn’t be the deciding factor.
“There are numerous prospects, including [Nkosana] Mbuthu and Pelembe [Ozoemena Manqoba]. We should also remember Mbuthu’s impressive showing against Yanga during pre-season.”
However, Nabi acknowledges the importance of merging youth with experience but warns against hastily introducing academy players into a high-pressure environment like Chiefs.
Additionally, the 59-year-old coach noted that while McCarthy was set to start against Sundowns, two of his players opted to play despite being injured.
“If Kaizer Chiefs didn’t carry such immense pressures, it would be easier to offer younger players opportunities. However, due to the high stakes and previous outcomes, we must be careful about when to integrate them into the starting lineup. Putting them in tough situations could negatively impact their careers, so we must proceed with caution,” the Tunisian head coach described.
“There are many young talents on the brink, but we are waiting for the right time to showcase them. Aden was nearly 90% prepared to start this match. He was supposed to be in the lineup, and I appreciate the medical team for readying [Edmilson] Dove and Zitha [Kwinika] for us.
“I also want to commend the players, as some who were injured might hesitate to play in a crucial match like a semi-final against Sundowns, but the strong mentality and sacrifices shown by Dove and Zitha are deserving of recognition.”
Amakhosi is set to travel to the Eastern Cape to take on Chippa United in Gqeberha at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday (17:30), aiming to end their four-match winless streak and regain winning form in the Betway Premiership.
