Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Mduduzi Shabalala has explained why he believes the comparisons between himself and his Orlando Pirates counterpart Relebohile Mofokeng are unfair.
The two youngsters made their professional debuts last season from both sides’ development ranks but are experiencing different forms personally and with their clubs this campaign.
The 20-year-old Shabalala has one goal in 16 matches across all competitions with his side lying in eighth place on the DStv Premiership log with 33 points in 25 matches.
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Mofokeng has played 32 matches across all competitions and has four goals and six assists, with Pirates third in the league on 46 points and in the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup.
Shabalala discussed the comparisons between him and Mofokeng in an exclusive interview with iDiski Times senior writer Velile Mnyandu in the latest edition of the newspaper.
“Obviously the two of us come from the DDC league and we were doing so well but the situations are not the same, you know,” Shabalala told iDiski Times.
“He’s been introduced to a team where they’re winning and the surrounding that he has is a group that has been winning trophies and it’s easy for him to just gel in the team. But for us as youngsters here we are fighting a lot of things, we are fighting the drought of not winning and every time we step into that field we need to bring our A game”.
“And sometimes the support that we get from our fans is not enough because we play only one game and tend to be [taken] as bad players. So I’m working hard to get myself back, working to get my confidence back again. And I would say I’m on the right track and the coaches and the players are helping me to get where I was before”.
You can read Shabalala’s full interview with Mnyandu in edition 152 of the newspaper available for FREE when you subscribe to the IDiski Times WhatsApp channel.