Arthur Zwane backs decision to start Samkelo Zwane in high-profile game

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Arthur Zwane has backed his decision to start with youngster Samkelo Zwane in a high-profile DStv Premiership game against Mamelodi Sundowns. 

This comes after Arthur Zwane’s troops succumbed to a 1-0 defeat to the red-hot Bafana Ba Style in a league clash on Saturday night, 21 January at FNB Stadium. 

The loss was Chiefs’ third in a row, having been beaten by Sekhukhune United [1-0] and AmaZulu [4-0] just last week. 

Most football fanatics reckons that the game was too much for the Soweto giants academy product.

And Zwane made a mistake by starting with him in a match of that magnitude. 

However, the Chiefs mentor admits the young Zwane did not have a great game on the night.

But the Amakhosi coach says he couldn’t bench the youngster given his stellar performances from his previous matches. 

He feels the midfielder would have added value if he had kept the same attitude from the past two weeks. 

ARTHUR ZWANE BACKS HIS DECISION TO START SAMKELO ZWANE

“Samkelo did not have a good game, but it wasn’t a mistake for us to start with him because last week he had a good game and a week before,” coach Zwane told the media. 

“We don’t want to chop and change the team. Unfortunately this one he couldn’t come to the party but is part of learning for him.”

The Chiefs starlet was replaced in the second half by Sinethemba Sithebe, whom the 49-year-old coach believes he had a fantastic game. 

ARTHUR ZWANE IMPRESSED WITH SINETHEMBA SITHEBE’S PERFORMANCE… 

“Sithebe did what we expected of him. And we are expecting that going forward he will give this kind of performances to blow out,” added Zwane.  

As thing stand, Chiefs are placed fifth on the log standings with 24 points after 17 outings. 

The club’s next assignment will be against Royal AM on Sunday, 29 January away from home. 

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