TRYING TIMES Kaizer Chiefs' hopes of climbing the Betway Premiership table face a setback as star signing Thabo Cele suffered an injury over the weekend, adding to the club's growing list of sidelined players. Picture: BackpagePix
Image: Backpagepix
As if the timing could not be worse, Kaizer Chiefs have been dealt a fresh injury blow as new star signing Thabo Cele pulled up during his side’s 2-1 Betway Premiership defeat to Golden Arrows over the weekend.
The loss to Arrows meant that Chiefs are eighth on the table after 10 defeats in 23 games.
With just seven matches remaining in the league, there is the chance that Chiefs could rise up the table significantly as their 29-point tally is only six behind third-placed Stellenbosch FC.
However, as the poor results continue to mount, that is becoming more unlikely.
Now, it seems Cele could face some time on the sidelines though Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi actively avoided giving specific details about his player’s injury.
“I prefer to comment on the general performance of the team and not individual players,” Nabi said in his post-match press conference.
“I think we have been unlucky with the injuries we have had. Right now our right-back [Reeve Frosler] and our left centre-back [Rushwin Dortley], Thabo Cele and Tashreeq Morris, who are our latest additions, are out injured.
"We feel that it’s a lot to take, but we have to keep our energy positive.”
The 28-year-old joined Chiefs in the January transfer window, after spending his formative years as a professional footballer in Europe.
Cele took the unusual route for an SA footballer of beginning his career abroad, with stints in Portugal, Poland, and Russia.
His best spell of his career to date came at Cova da Piedade from 2018 to 2021 as Cele made over 70 appearances for the Portuguese outfit.
Since joining the Soweto giants, Cele has been a standout player and reportedly also drawing the attention of Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos.