Exciting Kaizer Chiefs young midfielder Mfundo Vilakazi has shared coach Nasreddine Nabi’s demand from him and other youngsters in the Amakhosi squad.
Despite being only 18, Vilakazi is one of the most popular players in the Chiefs team, thanks to his impressive football skills which earned him a swift promotion from the Soweto giants’ junior ranks.
But the teenager’s move to the big time happens at a time when the club is going through a rough patch, experiencing an unprecedented nine barren years.
With that, every player in the team is expected to pull their weight in the Nabi-led mission to lift Amakhosi from the deep barrel of being the butt of South African football’s joke.
According to Vilakazi, Nabi will not go easy on him and players such as Mduduzi Shabalala, Wandile Duba, Samkelo Zwane, Nkosana Mbuthu and others just because they are youngsters.
“The coach has said we must not think that because we are young players, we are not required to work hard,” Vilakazi told media during his time at the South African U20 camp.
“He wants us to fight and make sure that the team does well whenever we are playing.”
Vilakazi is one of the players who impressed Nabi during Amakhosi’s training camp in Turkey.
The teenager is determined to establish himself as one of the key players for the Soweto giants.
“I think I need to work hard to be selected on the starting lineup because if I start matches it will help me to improve my confidence and my game,” Vilakazi said.
“The coach has told me that I can take opponents, or provide assistance for my teammates and I have the technique when it comes to taking shots at the goal. He wants me to take more shots at goal whenever I get to the right spaces.
“He has encouraged me to keep trying until I get it right.”
The attacking midfielder has come under some heavy criticism for his sometimes showboating skills, with Young Africans forward Stephane Aziz Ki calling it nonsense.
“Usually, I don’t read comments on social media, so I don’t think (the comments) have hurt me that much because I don’t care what people say. As long as the coach and the team are happy,” Vilakazi said.
“Because the league will start soon and if I score, the same people that were criticising me will celebrate and they will be saying that I need to go and play overseas all those kinds of things.
“They would have forgotten what against Young Africans I dribbled and they criticised me. So, I take criticism as words of encouragement, that I need to work hard. If they praise me, it means I need to do more of that.”
Mfundo Vilakazi deleted instagram, here is why 🤧 pic.twitter.com/cFccVaP2jl
— Mnyamani 📽 (@Zikamnyamane) August 21, 2024
