Thabo Cele’s words following the Nedbank Cup quarterfinal win over Stellenbosch FC underscore the significance of his role at Kaizer Chiefs.
After missing the Betway Premiership clash against Magesi FC through suspension, Cele returned to action and excelled in midfield, partnering with Nkosingiphile Ngcobo, while Gaston Sirino played in front of them.
The KZN-born star delivered an outstanding performance, leading to his selection as Man of the Match after Chiefs’ 3-1 victory over Stellies at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday evening. The win secured their place in the semifinals.
In his post-match interview, Cele expressed the team’s ambition to “progress to the next level.” Amakhosi have not won a trophy in almost a decade and are currently undergoing a rebuilding phase under the leadership of head coach Nasreddine Nabi.
Cele, a January transfer window signing, has been a key figure since joining the team. He has featured in all the matches except for the one against Magesi, during which he was suspended.
WHAT THABO CELE SAID ABOUT KAIZER CHIEFS
The former South Africa youth international appeared to suggest that reaching the semifinal was not enough, insisting that they needed to advance further and improve their position on the league table.
“Honestly, this is for the whole team because we expected that it was going to be a difficult game,” he told SuperSport TV. “But we had to grind, and we were happy to come away with the next step.
“Without these people [fans], I don’t think [we would have succeeded] because in some of the moments we were down. But they kept us going…. I don’t have words,” Cele added.
He vowed to fight harder to achieve greater success for both the fans and the club. These words
“I just want to thank God and my family at home. My people. Since I came back, it’s been crazy for me, and we still want to go on to the next step and even know that we want to climb higher. So, as a team in fighting, we want to fight more to achieve for the fans and the club.”
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