Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Mandla Masango says some players within the club don’t understand the magnitude and value return of playing for the club.
Chiefs, in recent times, have struggled to produce quality players that have gone on to have good career and Itumeleng Khune, despite being at the twilight of his career, is still regarded as the best they have produced in the last 15 years.
Khune, who is now suspended by the club for contravening the club’s regulations, is the only sole survivor at Chiefs that has won the league title.
Players have been promoted from the development just like Masango was, signed and others let go, but the results have remained the same, allowing Mamelodi Sundowns to take full advantage to win the unprecedented league title six times.
The seventh, it will take a miraculous collapse under the astute coach of Rulani Mokwena in the current season, as they have won all the opening nine matches played thus far, which is a record in the PSL era, surpassing that of Masango’s Chiefs of the 2014/15 season.
“Some of them,” Masango replied to iDiski Times.
“Such things you don’t take for granted, because it doesn’t come very often. You are, I won’t say you are lucky, but blessed to get the opportunity to play for such a big club like Kaizer Chiefs.
“Because it’s a well-known team and when you get that opportunity you have to make sure that you grab it with both hands, not to allow it to slip through your hands.”
Bullet, as Masango was known, despite the inconsistent seasons at the club having been promoted in 2007, shone in his last term of the 2014/15 season under Stuart Baxter, the last time Amakhosi won a major trophy, which was a double, as they claimed the MTN8 when they defeated Orlando Pirates in the final.
That season, it is where Masango was at his best, starting 28 league matches and scored career best – seven goals. The 34-year-old said that is partly why he has been recognised by Carling Black Label as an ambassador for the Carling Knockout Cup in its first edition along with Happy Jele, Katlego Mphela and Hlompho Kekana.
As that season was paused in 2015, Masango cemented his name to be the talk of the town, scoring a blinding goal when Bafana Bafana lost 2-1 to Ghana in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations group stage match in Equatorial Guinea.
Sadly, it was a tournament that was poorly handled by coach Shakes Mashaba, who had no preferred number one goalkeeper.
“Carling is a very massive brand,” said Masango of being associated with a SA Brewery company.
“I’m grateful for the opportunity where I can express myself through Carling (by talking of my experience). For that, I want to thank them because this competition is tight and unpredictable.”
Carling Knockout final will be contested between Stellenbosch and TS Galaxy on Saturday, 16 December at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
