No Issue with Mshini – Da Cruz Says Ngcobo Must Keep Working Hard

Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz has cleared the air on midfielder Nkosingiphile “Mshini” Ngcobo’s lack of game time this season. The Frenchman says there is nothing wrong with the 26-year-old and that he simply needs to keep working hard if he wants more opportunities.

Speaking to the media, Da Cruz explained that other players in Ngcobo’s position have been performing better. He specifically pointed to the good form of Mduduzi Shabalala. “There is no issue with Mshini. Mshini just needs to continue to work a lot. And if he continues to work a lot, he can hope to get his chances, as he already had against Golden Arrows in the MTN8 Cup,” the coach said.

Ngcobo, who wears the number 12 jersey, has made only a handful of appearances for Amakhosi under Da Cruz. He has featured for about 75 minutes in total this campaign, including a brief substitute role in a league draw against Mamelodi Sundowns. His most notable outing came in the MTN8 quarter-final against Golden Arrows, where he started but could not prevent Chiefs from exiting the competition.

The Pietermaritzburg-born player has been at Naturena since 2017 after coming through the club’s youth system. He has made more than 120 appearances for Chiefs over the years and remains a fan favourite because of his technical ability and left foot. However, regular game time has been hard to come by in recent seasons, and the situation has not improved under the new coach.

Da Cruz, who took charge of Kaizer Chiefs in July, has stressed that selection is based on current form and competition for places. He believes Ngcobo can still force his way back into the team if he continues to show the right attitude in training.

The comments come at a time when questions are being asked about Ngcobo’s future. He recently joined a new agency ahead of the January transfer window, and his contract at Chiefs is due to end at the close of the season. While Da Cruz has made it clear that the door remains open for more minutes, the midfielder will need to impress in the coming weeks if he wants to change the current picture at Naturena.

Source: https://x.com/iDiskiTimes/status/2113594141674275099

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