Kaizer Chiefs DStv Diski Challenge coach Vela Khumalo has urged the club’s senior leadership to place greater trust in academy products, arguing that the development system already produces players ready for the Betway Premiership. Khumalo, who has helped nurture talent for both Amakhosi and South Africa’s youth national teams, admitted he dreams of one day coaching the first team. He outlined that his priority would be selecting players who understand his tactical demands and the club’s philosophy, signaling that the current gap between the development and senior sides is a missed opportunity.
Khumalo pointed to Orlando Pirates star Relebohile Mofokeng as a case study in bravery, noting that Chiefs’ own DDC teams used to beat sides featuring Mofokeng. He questioned why Chiefs hesitate to promote their own talent while other Betway Premiership clubs benefit from trusting younger players. “Why are we not believing in them?” Khumalo asked, emphasizing that academy graduates such as Mdu Shabalala and Wandile Duba already know the club’s identity and expectations better than some senior squad members.
The youth mentor rejected the notion that promising youngsters are too inexperienced, highlighting that Chiefs often dominate development competitions yet fail to carry that momentum into the first team. He stressed that patience with senior players who lack consistency is no longer defensible. “Siwelele beat us with five DDC players, but we choose not to play ours when we are even dominating,” Khumalo said, making it clear that the path forward requires giving the club’s own boys a genuine opportunity.