South African football analyst Junior Khanye says it would be in everyone’s best interest to accept Mduduzi Shabalala, for who he really is after he missed several scoring opportunities against Stellenbosch FC.
Chiefs lost 2-1 in the Nedbank Cup Last 32 on Wednesday, a match where Shabalala failed to convert any of three chances that fell his way one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
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This has naturally invited a flood of criticism.
“Yes, the boy has been at Chiefs for a long time now, but we need to be honest. We can’t put Mdu in the same sentence as Relebohile Mofokeng,” Khanye tells KickOff.
“Mofokeng is on another level. He is the face of South African football. There are even some senior players in the PSL who are not even close to Mofokeng’s level.
“Shabalala can’t match Mofokeng.
“To be honest, Mdu is not consistent. I don’t think he was developed right, and unfortunately, nothing can be done to improve his situation.”
“I think he has reached his ceiling. So, I don’t think, going forward, he is going to improve from where he is currently because this has been happening for a while now.
“The boy has just played his 100th game for Chiefs and was recently honoured with a framed jersey. He didn’t need 100 games to reach the level of Mofokeng and others.
“Mdu is good, but he is not at the level of Mofokeng. He is good for his own level. I don’t think he is gonna grow further after playing 100 games.”
“And he is playing for one of the biggest teams in Africa, playing week on week out,” he added, while bemoaning the player’s inconsistency.
“Yes, he is going to be one of those good players we will always remember as a former Kaizer Chiefs player, because to be honest, if you are a professional footballer and playing for such a team, then you must make use of those scoring opportunities.
“Yesterday he tried, he played, but the next three games he will go quiet. He can’t be compared to Mofokeng.”
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“It’s like comparing money and stone. Mofokeng belongs to the level of Gift Leremi, [Thabo] Lawrence Mooki, and Scara Ngobese.
“Those types of players are very rare. What they have is a gift from God.”
