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Jampies: ‘Yusuf Maart is one of the top five midfielders, but…’

Cheslyn Jampies believes that his former teammate and Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Yusuf Maart is one of the top five midfielders in our country. 

While Jampies, who is currently clubless after parting ways with Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila, is convinced Maart ranks among the best locally, he picks an area he still needs to improve.

“Yusuf is a good boy, a very hard-working player. I’m happy to see him treasured by Kaizer Chiefs,” Jampies told FARPost at the Bayhill Premier Cup in Cape Town.  

JAMPIES ON YUSUF MAART

He went on to identify an aspect of Maart’s game that still needs to improve.

“He’s a box-to-box player with a family that’s on their knees for him 90% of the time. I feel he needs to work on his decision-making and play simple when he needs to. The goals will start coming again. 

“For me, at the moment, he is one of the top five midfielders in our country. I wish he keeps grinding as hard as I know him to, and nothing but good will come from this. He is my mampara, a very, very good boy.”

Yusuf Maart
Yusuf Maart

He explains why Maart is overlooked by Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos for the senior national team.  

BAFANA BAFANA CALL-UPS

“Yeah, well, that’s an unfortunate part of being in a South African coaching position,” the former Santos player continued. 

“He [Bafana coach Hugo Broos] can’t pick everyone. Maybe the coach is looking at some other options too. If we remember, Yusuf was in all the Bafana Bafana call-ups at the start.

“I feel Yusuf has to keep his head down, grind hard again, and what must be will be. Anything done by God is well done. My boy knows the story.”

Jampies’ exit from TTM was acrimonious, with the player claiming the club did not pay him for three months.   

The former Baroka defender formed part of Bakgaga’s survival plot in 2020 under the tutelage of Coach Dylan Kerr.

Story by Joshua Hendricks

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