Did Kaizer Chiefs make a transfer blunder on Asanale Velebayi? Ex-Cape Town Spurs coach details midfielder's shortcomings - 'He was inconsistent'

Kaizer Chiefs finally signed midfielder Asanele Velebayi following a protracted struggle to bring the player to Naturena from Cape Town Spurs.

Velebayi joined Amakhosi together with another player from Spurs, Luke Baartman, who has also been a subject of a transfer wrangle.

Former Urban Warriors goalkeepers' coach Calvin Marlin has a close appreciation of Velebayi's weaknesses and opened up on the player's weaknesses.  

"I'm surprised by Asanele's signing. He was inconsistent during our time in the National First Division and struggled to secure a spot in the first team for a while," Marlin told KickOff.  

"But maybe he's matured since I last worked with him over two years ago. I hope he has improved and that a team like Chiefs can help bring out the best in him. 

"It's common for many young players to expect to jump straight into the first team after coming through the youth ranks. So these two, I guess they were not different," added the former Bafana Bafana goalkeeper. 

"As for Asanele Velebayi struggling to make the Spurs team while I was there, sometimes this is tied to self-belief and a lack of consistency. I'm referring to doing the right things at the right time. 

"Asanele's off-the-ball reactions weren't very strong, and defensively, he needs to improve. Hopefully, he has made progress in that area." 

Last season, while playing on the NFD, Velebayi managed just a goal and an assist in 34 games across all competitions.

That has invited scrutiny on the player to see if he is quality geared to defend the colours of Chiefs.

But the way Amakhosi went for his signature showed that the club believed in him. 

Spurs are still contesting Velebayi's move to Chiefs after grooming the player from his junior days.

That might see the Soweto giants hesitant in using the player when they host Mamelodi Sundowns in a Premier Soccer League match on Wednesday.