Kaizer Chiefs' midfielder Thabo Cele makes bold promise ahead of Golden Arrows PSL duel - 'We’re working very hard, trying to put some new things in our game'

Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Thabo Cele feels positive and motivated ahead of their Premier Soccer League (PSL) match against Golden Arrows.

Cele, who was not part of the Bafana Bafana in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers, said they have used the Fifa break to reenergise and are ready to work hard after recent poor results.

Apart from how they have prepared ahead of the Arrows game, Cele also asked their fans to stand with the players at a time they are struggling.

“After this space [the Fifa break] of observation and thinking, going deep into our minds and hearts, I feel positive about the next game. We’re working very hard, trying to put some new things in our game,” Cele said.

“In these situations [where consistency eludes the team], I don’t think talking is really something they [their fans] need, [instead] they need our reaction inside those four corners. So I’d say we need them, despite these difficult moments, because without them, things will become even more difficult for us. We just have to go onto the pitch and show that we need them," he added.

“I feel good that I am here to try to help the team so that we can achieve our objectives.”

“We are who we are, and when people play against us, it’s always a difficult game for us. Golden Arrows have always been a competitive team, and now with the new coaching changes there, I think they’re becoming more of a possession-based team,” the midfielder who joined Chiefs as a free agent in January concluded.

Hoping to get back to winning ways, Amakhosi will return to action on March 29, when they will be hosted by Arrows. Before the international break, Chiefs were shockingly beaten by Richards Bay, who condemned them to their ninth defeat in PSL this season.

Arrows hope to take advantage of the Chiefs struggle to win and achieve a season double over the Soweto giants. The first round ended in a 1-0 win in favour of the Durban-based club.

The struggling Chiefs sit eighth on the table with a mere 29 points from 22 games, and that means they must return to winning ways if they have to improve their standing at the end of the season.

Crucial games await them, including the Soweto Derby, where they are set to host arch-rivals Orlando Pirates on May 3. A semi-final Nedbank Cup tie, where they will either play Mamelodi Sundowns or Sekhukhune United, is another crucial fixture lying ahead for the Naturena outfit.