Kaizer Chiefs striker Ashley du Preez has not featured for Amakhosi since missing a sitter against Simba in the CAF Confederation Cup last month.
The 28-year-old got a rare appearance in the first leg of the CAF CC preliminary round against Congolese side AS Simba. The Soweto giants had a chance to win the first leg away, but Du Preez sky-rocketed his effort instead of tapping the ball into an empty net.
The miss did not prove costly as Kaizer Chiefs won the second leg 3-1 to reach the group stages. For the striker, however, it proved very costly as he missed matches against Siwelele, Durban City, and Orbit College.
Amakhosi fans have also turned on the striker, calling for the coaches to field a new striker, Khanyiso Mayo instead.
Former Chiefs coach Cavin Johnson has urged Du Preez to stay away from social media.
“Look, as far as that is concerned [criticism from supporters on social media], the player of today, and especially when you play for Kaizer Chiefs, as a player, no matter what position you play, it’s about who you play for,” he told Soccer Laduma.
“Especially if you miss a goal, social media, the news, all of them, they are all over you. So as a player, I think Ashley has to recover himself and stay away from those areas. Don’t look or read because Chiefs don’t only have [one source covering them], no!
Ex-Kaizer Chiefs coach has a message for Du Preez
The former Platinum Stars coach has worked with Du Preez during his tenure at Amakhosi. Although he never got the best out of the speedy forward, he has advised the ex-Stellenbosch FC striker to work on what he knows best.
“They have millions of supporters that are also reporters, you understand? So, as a player, I would suggest that he stay away from social media, switch his phone off completely, Instagram, Twitter, X, whatever, stay away from there.
“Concentrate on your game, stay out of there until you get into the space to do your work that you get paid for, and that is to be on the field and score goals. That’s my suggestion to him,” Johnson concluded.
With three strikers preferred ahead of Du Preez, it remains to be seen if the experienced forward will get another chance.