Luke Baartman: Kaizer Chiefs make surprise decision on new signing

Kaizer Chiefs coach Cedric Kaze admits new signing Luke Baartman is still far from featuring for the senior team and will have to play his way up.

Baartman is among the new players signed by Chiefs and while some of them have featured and others made the bench, he is yet to, and according to Kaze, the club is considering sending him to the DStv Diski Challenge team to get more gametime.

“We have around 34 players. There is a process of bringing players to play and to get to know each other, to get to know how we want to play,” Kaze said as quoted by iDiski Times.

Kaze weighs in on Baartman’s gametime

“You gave the example of Baartman – first he came, he was not registered, thereafter he went to the World Cup. He didn’t come to the pre-season, which means that in general, he’s missed at least two months with the team.

“I am a coach that believes in the process, which means that a player like Velebayi, he’s come ahead of him [Baartman]. He was on the bench today, he could have played, because he was training with us all the time, even at the time of [U20] World Cup and everything.

“We have 35 players, we have to choose who plays and who who doesn’t play. But at the end, it’s true that if you don’t perform, someone else is going to play. And I’m pretty sure that everyone will get his chance to play.”

Why is young forward being sent to DDC team?

Kaze feels the young forward could benefit from playing in the PSL Reserve League while it also adds quality to Vela Khumalo’s team as they seek to defend their DDC title.

“Yeah, it’s, it’s something that we are considering, and as well to help our DDC team to get to better. It’s something that we are considering,” he added.

It is a surprise decision from Chiefs, who heavily pursued the forward, alongside Asanele Velebayi from Cape Town Spurs and managed to sign both of them after the SAFA arbitrator cleared them to leave the club as free agents.

Baartman was part of Amajita’s team that reached the Round of 16 of the FIFA U20 World Cup this month, managing three substitute appearances in four games.