New Kaizer Chiefs defender Bradley Cross has been backed to take his game to the next level at the club under head coach Nasreddine Nabi.
From emerging in the now-defunct Black Aces youth academy, and Bidvest Wits, Cross secured a dream move to Germany with Schalke 04 where he rubbed shoulders with AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw, forming an impressive partnership and earning interest from the Premier League.
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After two seasons in the U19 squad, he joined Newcastle United’s reserve team where he was a regular in the Premier League 2 squad, and even captained the side on occasions.
However, a knee injury struck near the end of his contract and he returned back to South Africa, looking for first-team football – which led him to SuperSport United and Kaizer Chiefs for training stints back in 2022. But ultimately joined Maritzburg United after the Gauteng-based were reluctant to sign him due to his lack of fitness after an injury.
Maritzburg, then coached by Fadlu Davids, snapped him up and while they were relegated, he earned valuable experience with his first 17 appearances in senior professional football which then led him to Golden Arrows where he took his game to the next level.
With 24 appearances in his only season, a couple of Bafana Bafana call-ups, Chiefs came knocking and on his debut for Amakhosi, we won the Man of the Match award, sparking widespread optimism around the 23-year-old again.
“I am a firm believer [that] everything happens for a reason, he was at Chiefs but at the time they didn’t want to push the button, which happens sometimes. Different circumstances, different situations and force people to make certain decisions,” his representative Matthew Moore of Centre Circle told iDiski Times.
“It’s funny how things come full circle, he’s back at Chiefs, it was a late window deal. I felt bad that he left Arrows just before the season started but Chiefs is a great opportunity.”
Cross has often been lauded for his intelligence on the pitch, positioning and awareness in defence to read the game, with former coaches noting he could potentially play as a centre-back, left-back or in a six role, due to those strong traits.
Hugo Broos, in the past, noted him as an ‘interesting’ player for the future, having first called him up to the senior national team during his time with Golden Arrows.
“He has a great football IQ which I think he picked up not only at Newcastle but more at Schalke at U19 level. He was working under Norbert Elgert, he’s been there for [30 years], and he has coached some Schalke legends including Manuel Neuer and Leroy Sané,” Moore explained about his development in Europe.
“He instilled a great football IQ in Brad and I think he reads the game on par with anyone in the league, which is why you will see great stuff from him. I think the new Chiefs coach Nabi will be able to unlock a part of Brad that we haven’t seen because I think they will be on the same wavelength, especially his experience abroad.”
Cross has since been named in the latest preliminary Bafana squad by Broos for the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo Brazzaville next month.
