Kaizer Chiefs’ rising star Mfundo Vilakazi has revealed details of a conversation with coach Nasreddine Nabi following a showboating incident that caused a stir.
Already a crowd-pleaser for his flair, Vilakazi found himself in the spotlight after he opted to entertain the crowd with his trademark ‘Kasi flavour’ skills despite Chiefs trailing 2-0 in the first half of the inaugural Toyota Cup.
The incident occurred during Amakhosi’s humiliating 4-0 defeat to Yanga SC at a packed Free State Stadium last month, a match serving as part of their preparations for the upcoming 2024/25 PSL season under new coach Nabi.
Vilakazi faced criticism for showboating with Stephane Aziz Ki of Young Africans, denouncing the teenage sensation’s flashy display as “nonsense and a waste of time as the team is losing”.
However, according to Vilakazi, coach Nabi has no issue with his showboating abilities but rather with the appropriateness of when to showcase flashy skills.
The young attacker also disclosed that Nabi highlighted the significance of harmonising individual flair with collective effort.
“After the showboating incident, coach Nabi told me that I couldn’t do it if the team is losing, and when I do it, I need to ensure that I do it in a progressive manner, attack, go forward so that the team can benefit,” Vilakazi told FARPost.
“During our chat, the coach said he doesn’t have a problem with my skills, but I must attack and not perform a skill going backwards because the team does not benefit at all and dribble when we are winning.”
Despite the criticism, Vilakazi maintains that showboating has a place in professional football. He has acknowledged that he has learned to discern appropriate moments to showcase his skills.
“I still believe showboating has a place in pro football. We have fans to entertain, but it depends on when you do it, what’s the score, is the team leading or losing. All those factors come into play,” he said.
“What I have learned is that I should not dribble when the team is losing; I should only dribble around the 80th minute but only when the team is winning.”
The 18-year-old is part of the SA Under-20 squad that convened at the SAFA Technical Centre in Johannesburg on August 12, 2024, ahead of their double-header friendly against Lesotho on August 16 and 18.
Amajita are using their games against Lesotho as preparations for the 2024 COSAFA U20 Championships scheduled for September 2024.
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