Chiefs coach reveals what is behind Mthethwa’s top form

Kaizer Chiefs coach Cedric Kaze has commented on the improved performances of midfielder Sibongiseni Mthethwa.

Mthethwa, popularly known as Ox, has been putting in great shifts this season with his latest being in the Carling Knockout Round of 16 loss to Stellenbosch FC on Sunday.

While Chiefs lost the match on penalty shootouts, Mthethwa’s performances did not go unnoticed as he was named Man of the Match after a great game at the heart midfield when he won most of his duels and made it difficult for Stellies to breach the Amakhosi defence.

Ox has had a turnaround in fortunes

It is a remarkable turnaround for a player who was close to leaving Chiefs last season before the deal fell through on deadline day, having struggled for gametime in coach Nasreddine Nabi’s first season.

Kaze says the midfielder has benefited from an arm around the shoulder as all he needed was love to feel important and reproduce the kind of form that earned him a transfer to Chiefs from Stellenbosch two years ago.

“I believe every player, it’s like when you have a girlfriend, she needs to feel loved,” said Kaze when asked about Ox’s improved form as per iDiski Times.

Can Mthethwa maintain the top form?

“The player needs to feel loved. He needs someone to take care of him. He needs someone to support him, even when he’s in bad days, and when the confidence is there, then the player can express himself.

“And I believe that's the way that we have been working with him and the others and that’s only the result now.”

Mthethwa has made 10 appearances for Chiefs already this season and looks on course to beat his tally of 18 in the whole of 2024-25 when his future at Naturena was uncertain.