Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Cedric Kaze has opened up on criticism that Sibongeni Mthethwa keeps getting, highlighting the midfielder’s dedication and hard work for the team.
Mthethwa has claimed a regular starting spot at Amakhosi this season, having featured in all nine matches the team has played so far.
His impressive displays this season have already earned him a couple of Man of the Match awards.
Mthethwa’s diligent work is overlooked by critics, according to Kaze, who beholds the midfielder as a fighter and labels him an “unsung hero.”
“When you have something beautiful like jewellery and you wear it, you don’t see the beauty of it. Someone else will envy you that you’re wearing a nice jewellery,” said Kaze.
“You have players like ‘Ox’ [Sibongiseni Mthethwa] that have been criticised a lot. But he’s a player that works so much for the team.
“I’ll call him an unsung hero, he’s player that doesn’t look for praise, a player that doesn’t do flashy things, but he works for the team.
“He does a dirty job that nobody wants to do because he tracks back and goes around tackling people.”
Kaze likened the Mthethwa’s issue with Yusuf Maart’s, the former Chiefs captain, who was also heavily criticised last season.
“And again last season, we had a player like Yusuf Maart, who was criticised a lot but he played with a big mentality and gave us the Nedbank Cup,” Kaze added.
“I’m speaking about that because I’m here as a coach and I will protect my players because they do everything they can.
“It’s true that right now the results aren’t there but they are working very hard, and we can promise that the results will come because the team is coming together.”
The former Stellenbosch midfield hardman was voted Man of the Match, walking away with a R100, 000 cheque, though he was visibly disappointed after Chiefs bowed out of the Carling Knockout Cup last 16 via a 5-4 penalty shootout loss to the Cape Winelands side.
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