Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi’s decision not to hand youngster Mfundo Vilakazi his first official Betway Premiership start for the club was purely down to protecting him.
A few weeks ago, the 18-year-old was met with harsh criticism during their Toyota Cup friendly against Tanzanian giants Young Africans when he was accused of showboating while his team was trailing. The starlet however turned that criticism into a positive as he returned to the same venue only to emerge as the hero on the evening.
‘Obrigado’ netted Chiefs’ winner in the 80th minute as they clawed their back from a goal down to beat Marumo Gallants 2-1 at a packed-to-rafters Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein, with his coach opting to use him as an impact player in order to shield him from the media spotlight.
“I’m very happy for my team and for Vilakazi,” Nabi told the media after the match.
“He’s like my son, but I need to protect him.
“He’s not starting because I need to protect him from media, from magazine because he’s a big talent and he need to understand that if you start him for the squad for Kaizer Chiefs, you need too much sacrifice.
“I balance his…but this is my job to protect my talent.
“I’m very happy for him. He’s worked more,” the Tunisian mentor added.
Amakhosi’s next match will see them welcome in-form Stellenbosch FC to the FNB Stadium on Sunday, 22 September.
