Kaizer Chiefs defender Thatayaone Ditlhokwe has been reduced to a fringe player at the club after failing to make a desired impact.
The 26-year-old Botswana international joined Amakhosi from SuperSport United in the 2023/24 season. The center-back was signed alongside Given Msimango to bolster the Glamour Boys' defense.
However, the duo has struggled to get game time under coach Nasreddine Nabi who prefers new signings Inacio Miguel and Rushwin Dortley. Msimango has been coming as a late substitute, while the Motswana is waiting for his first appearance for the club in the 2024/25 campaign.
Ditlhokwe needs to work extra hard
The defender was limited to just 21 appearances for Amakhosi last season owing to injuries, but former club's defender Morgan Gould insists he can still rise to the top and command a starting berth.
“The Ditlhokwe situation is exactly what happened to me [at Kaizer Chiefs]. I think he’s in a space where he needs to reflect on why he’s playing football and why he moved from SuperSport United,” he told Far Post.
“He needs to go back and relive those main reasons. I got doubted also, that’s the same thing. The only way for him to correct this is to work extra hard and stay focused. I would say to him, ‘Stay remembering that you can believe in yourself; you are the best version of yourself, and you are competing with yourself.’
“The team took his services for a reason. There is no other sweet joy than that, remembering why you were wanted. There is no time for a pity party [because] football moves, if you stay behind it would be difficult to catch up. But he seems like a very focused guy, he will come back and add value.”
Chiefs play Marumo Gallants on Sunday in the Cufa Cup game at the Toyota Stadium which might present Ditlhokwe with an opportunity to show Nabi his value.
