Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Siyanda Xulu has explained why he struggled during his time at Naturena, despite being one of the highest-paid players, but insisted it made him stronger.
Xulu was snapped up by the Soweto giants’ youth setup in 2008 to join their development side before moving to Mamelodi Sundowns in 2009.
The Bafana Bafana defender returned to Kaizer Chiefs in 2015 following a stint at Russian side FC Rostov and after Chiefs he joined Maritzburg United before heading abroad again to Hapoel Tel Aviv, where he currently plies his trade.
Xulu now opened up at his own struggles at Amakhosi, saying even though it was a difficult time for him, it made him a better player.
“If it wasn’t for Chiefs I don’t think I would have existed even now to be honest to you. That period for me It gave me a reason to to be consistent,” Xulu told Thomas Mlambo on the Ultimate Sports Show.
“A reason to say whatever happens now you can take another u-turn. You’ve been challenged before, you learnt to go through it, there is nothing that can take you down.
“I’m only courageous because of the Chiefs experience, that’s why I think the treatment was really essential for me and I had to go through that.
“Coming back from overseas, being one of the highest paid footballers in South Africa as a defender, the expectations that you should deal with. It’s something that I wasn’t ready for, I wasn’t really prepared honestly.
“And coming back home, it was just me getting back on my feet and moving back overseas.
“So for me not playing, for me not making the first team and for me not even being there, it was a challenge for me because it’s something that I’ve never faced before.
“I don’t want to blame anyone else but myself. I think I wasn’t giving myself enough credit. Most of the time, I’m kind of protected but I should look in the mirror, I should’ve done things better.”
