Kaizer Chiefs urged to move Luke Baartman into a creative role

Former Cape Town Spurs assistant coach Benson Mhlongo believes Kaizer Chiefs are not getting the best from Luke Baartman and should consider playing the youngster as a number 10 or in a wide position.

Mhlongo worked with Baartman at Cape Town Spurs while serving as assistant to Ernst Middendorp, and says the 20-year-old’s ability to create chances is being overlooked under head coach Fernando Da Cruz.

Baartman has featured in all eight of Kaizer Chiefs’ league matches in the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season, scoring one important goal. His growing involvement represents a notable change for a player who spent much of his debut campaign at Naturena on the sidelines.

Intense competition within the squad and initial registration delays restricted his opportunities after his move to Johannesburg. However, he is now firmly part of the first-team plans and has begun to show why Kaizer Chiefs regarded him as one of South Africa’s most promising attacking players.

The forward’s progress has required patience. He first attracted attention as a 17-year-old at Cape Town Spurs, where his finishing ability led to early comparisons with European legends. His high-profile move to Kaizer Chiefs before the previous season, though, did not immediately bring regular first-team football.

Baartman was used sparingly by the previous coaching regimes as he adjusted to the pressure and demands associated with playing for the Soweto club.

Da Cruz’s arrival before the 2026/27 campaign has changed the direction of his career at Kaizer Chiefs. Although Baartman has said his preferred position is as a traditional number nine or a false nine, Mhlongo believes the player’s qualities are better suited to a more creative role.

“It takes a technical team to guide, give a chance to a player, for him to adjust to being an important player,” Mhlongo told KickOff.

“I see they are using him as a striker, but for me he must either play on the side, or at least play him as a number 10 because he’s got brains. He knows how to create a chance.

“At Spurs we misused him; after he took us to number 13, we never played him again. He created most goals when he had a free role. He is capable of creating a chance from nothing.

“If they stop playing him at Chiefs, he’s gonna lose his confidence.”

Mhlongo’s comments come as Baartman has made himself a regular part of Kaizer Chiefs’ attack, having previously found it difficult to secure consistent minutes during his first season at the club.