‘Similar to Benni McCarthy’ – Chiefs coach predicts big future for Amakhosi youngster

Kaizer Chiefs youth coach Vela Khumalo has heaped praise on a rare talent at the club who he feels will go places if he is taken care of well.

Khumalo is the Chiefs’ Diski Challenge coach and is also the Amajimbos tactician who has led South Africa to the 2025 U17 World Cup Round of 32.

Among the players he coaches at Chiefs and now in the junior national team is striker Shaun Els, who has been lighting it up at club level and at the World Cup, where he has two goals in three matches.

Amajimbos forward earns high praise

Els scored goals against Bolivia and Italy and will be relied upon in the knockout rounds as South Africa look to advance further in the global tournament.

So surprised is Khumalo with Els’ talent that he has termed him a “rare breed” that can get to the levels of legendary figures like Benni McCarthy and Phil Masinga but only if he gets the right grounding.

“I think I indicated this earlier when I introduced him at DDC. In his introduction at DDC with Kaizer Chiefs, he scored a goal,” told Khumalo FARPost.

Els earns Benni McCarthy comparisons

“I said it before, and I’m still saying it now: in the country, we are running short of strikers, and if we get a striker like this, who shows glimpses of becoming better and a good goal contributor for the country, we need to take good care of him and nurture him.

“This is similar to when we had Benni McCarthy and Phil Masinga; this is where you can say it’s rare to find a striker like this. He needs to be protected. If we don’t take care of him, then I don’t know what we will be doing, but he is the real deal.”

Els and his Amajimbos teammates will be in action again at the World Cup on Saturday, November 15, when they face Japan in a Round of 32 clash.