All is not lost for Kaizer Chiefs defender, Kgotso Moleko, who was booed by his own supporters in Durban at the weekend.
The right back was substituted at the interval when Amakhosi clashed with Lamontville Golden Arrows in an Absa Premiership encounter at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Frustrated by their team’s failure to stamp authority over Arrows, the fans turned on the defender, jeering him whenever he got involved in the action. Ernst Middendorp replaced him with Reeve Frosler at half-time “to protect him”.
Former Chiefs and Orlando Pirates net-minder, William Shongwe believes that all is not lost for Moleko.
“It is a tough one. What makes it even tougher is that he has just come back. I look at the previous games, I think he excelled and that’s why he (the coach) kept faith with him. As much as Frosler was back and fully fit to play but he rewarded Moleko with another game because of his previous performances.
"How fickle are these supporters that they can change like that all of a sudden. It was the first half for that matter and it was still 0-0,” said Shongwe.
“Seth Parusnath was one player that gave him more problems. It is important to also note that the left hand side of Arrows was a packed attack. It was Parusnath and Divine Lunga who is always overlapping.
“Chiefs were playing a diamond shape. The player that was supposed to chase Lunga back was inside. I don’t know how many people saw that side was overloaded.
“The coach was wise by protecting him. But it is the players’ lives. Supporters are so fickle that they turn against you overnight. You have to be professional enough to know that this one didn’t go well but I’ll bounce back, and he is experienced."
Moleko might get another opportunity to redeem himself when the Glamour Boys take on Royal Eagles in the last 32 of the Nedbank Cup next week. Amakhosi are chasing the double. They are still at the summit of the table with 45 points after 19 league games.
“It is still a difficult one to call. You can never say Chiefs are through. All they need to do is to focus on one game at a time.
"We’ve seen this before. Four seasons ago, Mamelodi Sundowns came from way behind to clinch the league. In that season, I thought Chiefs were gone but guess what, they were caught,” Shongwe articulated.
@minenhlecr7
The Star
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