Cedric Kaze praises Kaizer Chiefs player as 'unsung hero'!

The assistant coach seems to be very fond of many of his players.

Cedric Kaze praises Kaizer Chiefs player as 'unsung hero'!

Tunisian coach Nasreddine Nabi was recently dismissed from Amakhosi and has been absent from the team's sidelines for more than two weeks due to internal disagreements with the management and other undisclosed circumstances, The technical management of the team was assumed by coach Cedric Kaze with Khalil Ben Youssef. Under his technical management, the team suffered two defeats, one win, and two draws.

During his final press conference on Thursday, coach Cedric praised a Kaizer Chiefs player for his consistent, distinguished, and positive presence with the team, despite the pressures the team has been under this season, especially with the absence of the first coach and the uncertainty surrounding his future.

Who is the player that Cedric Kaze praised?

Coach Kaze came to the defense of midfielder Sibongiseni "Ox" Mthethwa, identifying him as a crucial yet often overlooked component of the team. He stated, "I would say you have players like ‘Ox’ [Sibongiseni Mthethwa] that has been criticised a lot. But he’s a player who works so much for the team. I call him an unsung hero." He elaborated on Mthethwa's selfless playing style, noting, "He’s a player who doesn’t look for praise. He’s a player who doesn’t do flashy things, but he works for the team. He does the dirty job that nobody wants to do because he tracks back. He goes tackling people…"

This sentiment was powerfully reinforced by Ben Youssef after Mthethwa's standout performance. Echoing Kaze's views, Ben Youssef highlighted "his positive attitude and strong work ethic," and pointed to his undeniable importance on the field, saying, "He provides us with a lot of stability, especially defensively, and is the only player who has played every game for the full 90 minutes. He is certainly one of our key players."

Kaze also reflected on a similar situation from the previous season involving Yusuf Maart. He recalled, "Last season, a player like Yusuf Maart was criticised a lot, but he played with a big mentality. He gave us the Nedbank Cup." Affirming his unwavering support for his squad, the coach concluded, "But I’m speaking about that because I am here as a coach, and I will protect my players. I will protect my players because they do everything they can. It’s true that the result is not there, but they are working very hard. And we can promise them [fans] that the result is going to come because the team is coming together."