Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Khalil Ben Youssef has lifted the lid on the brutal reality of playing for the Soweto giants, warning that social media can “make or break” a footballer overnight.
Speaking about the intense pressure that comes with donning the Amakhosi jersey, Ben Youssef said Chiefs need players with strong character, as fans and online critics can be unforgiving.
On Wednesday, Kaizer Chiefs, also known as Amakhosi, scored a second goal against AmaZulu. However, the linesman ruled it out for offside after Khanyisa Mayo tapped in a shot on goal from Pule Mmodi. Although it seemed that the ball was crossing the line, Mayo intervened while being offside to claim the goal for himself.
This decision left Amakhosi fans furious, as they believed Mayo had denied the team three valuable points.
Before the match, the assistant coach for Kaizer Chiefs criticised some fans for their harsh comments about players on social media.
“Bringing players with character, mentally strong, who can resist the pressure here,” Ben Youssef said.
“Because honestly there is a lot of pressure in this team, like in other teams, but let me say the pressure is very big here.
“Secondly, with the social media here we need professional players, players who don’t see [or get fazed] about social media, because here you score one goal, you are like Messi, tomorrow you miss a penalty, you are a plumber, you know nothing about football.
Chiefs coach says players with strong character and mentality were needed
“It’s so emotional here. So, if you have players who are a lot on social media and without character, it’s easy to destroy them,” the Chiefs coach added.
Kaizer Chiefs are without a win in three league matches. Since losing 3-1 to Sekhukhune, Amakhosi have never looked the same.