Kaizer Chiefs coach addresses team selection in Stellenbosch stalemate

13.10.26 FT South African Betway Premiership

Kaizer Chiefs

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Stellenbosch

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Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Dillon Sheppard has addressed the team selection in their one-all draw with Stellenbosch FC in a Betway Premiership encounter at FNB Stadium on Tuesday night.

The Glamour Boys settled for a fifth draw of the 2026/27 campaign as Mduduzi Shabalala canceled out Sinoxolo Kwayiba's opener, stretching their winless run in the league to three matches.

While Chiefs salvaged a point, there are murmurs of discontent from the Amakhosi faithful about the starting XI, which comprised a staggering six defenders.

Sheppard, however, has since clarified the rationale behind the team selection against Stellies, attributing the tactical tweaks to a host of injuries that have rocked the camp in Naturena.

“The reason with the line-up obviously has to do with the injuries that we've had, young Thulani [Mabaso] has just come back from a long-term injury, to throw him into a game where we've just come off a FIFA break would have been unfair on him,” said the Chiefs second in command.

"So, we had to find alternatives, in the pre-season we worked with Reeve [Frosler] in the midfield and he's played that position before, and with the three weeks we've had and prepared with him, he did really well - so that was the reason behind that.

"With [Paseka] Mako coming back, it was his first start for the season, so to give him the back-four role it's because we were thinking of the long balls and a lot of the pace the way Gavin [Hunt] wants to play an up and down game, so we wanted to look after Bradley Grobler also.

"We anticipated Bradley Grobler to play, him and Kwayiba to play as two strikers, and you know the aerial qualities that they have. So, we wanted to control those areas and use the wingbacks to get in behind them. We never anticipated Gavin to go with a back five.

"But if you see this line-up, sometimes he's played [Thabiso] Lebitso a little bit in front, [Siviwe] Nkwali as a right-back, we know he plays as a centre-back. It kind of matched up system for system, so it was a good battle.

The UEFA A and CAF A License holder says the system is somewhat an attacking minded approach, contrary to popular belief, stating that players are tasked with adapting to the complexity of the game.

“But to go back to the question with the system, it's just there as a starting system but in the game it's all changing, players have roles and responsibilities to occupy positions at different certain times,” Sheppard added.

"And we can say it's defensive but it's also attacking when your wingbacks are nice and high, you're in a 3-2-5 then it becomes a very attacking system.

Chiefs remain fourth with 14 points accumulated after eight league outings, and swing back to action with the first leg of their CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round clash against Red Arrows of Zambia on Saturday.

Hlayisani Magoro

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Football journalist from South Africa covering African football news, exclusive stories and key events while sharing insights with passionate fans of the game.

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