Sheppard calls for patience as Kaizer Chiefs’ young players adjust to pressure

Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Dillon Sheppard has urged supporters to give the club’s young players time to develop after a 1-1 draw with Stellenbosch FC extended their run of Betway Premiership draws to three matches.

Sheppard addressed the post-match media conference at FNB Stadium on Tuesday night after head coach Fernando da Cruz fell ill immediately after the final whistle.

The result left Kaizer Chiefs fourth in the table and unbeaten after eight matches. Stellenbosch FC took the lead early in the second half through Sinoxolo Kwayiba, before 20-year-old Mduduzi Shabalala equalised in the 58th minute.

Kaizer Chiefs dominated possession and created opportunities late in the match but could not find a winning goal. The draw was their fifth in an eight-game unbeaten run and renewed questions over their tactical balance and ability to convert chances.

Sheppard, however, strongly defended the club’s policy of promoting players from the academy. He rejected suggestions that there was a gap between the DStv Diski Challenge reserve side and the first team, with Shabalala and Mfundo Vilakazi often cited as notable examples.

“Well, if you look at the amount of young players we’ve promoted in the last three years, if you look at our squad and just see the amount of academy players, I’m not sure if any team in the league has promoted as many players to their first team,” Sheppard said.

He pointed to the experience already gained by several of the club’s younger players, while stressing the demands that come with representing Kaizer Chiefs.

“The likes of Shabba, Vilakazi, and Wandile Duba – you see how many years they’ve been in the first team, so they’ve had time to adjust to the level and to donning the jersey of Kaizer Chiefs,” he added.

“I don’t have to mention how heavy that jersey is and the responsibilities and everything that comes with it.”

Duba missed a one-on-one opportunity against Stellenbosch FC that could have earned Kaizer Chiefs all three points. Rather than focus on that mistake, Sheppard said young players needed time, structure and the support of experienced team-mates.

“They’ve done really well. We have other young players coming through now who will need time,” he said. “With youngsters, you have a little bit of inconsistency. It’s important that senior players play a huge role in creating a stabilised environment so young players don’t carry so much weight.”

Sheppard also acknowledged that squad management could limit the number of academy graduates able to play regularly.

“As a club, we can be really proud of the young players we bring through,” he said. “It becomes a bottleneck where you can’t have 25 youngsters in the squad.”

He cited Aden McCarthy, who has moved on to play Champions League football at another club, as an example of how players can progress elsewhere.

“That’s quite normal. We’re going to keep producing players, giving them time for their quality to come through,” Sheppard said.