Luke Baartman reflects on Kaizer Chiefs debut as 'rewarding' but admits, 'it wasn’t easy'

Luke Baartman finally made his long-awaited official Kaizer Chiefs debut last Sunday in a Premier Soccer League match against TS Galaxy.

He came on with 10 minutes remaining, replacing George Matlou in a clash that ended goalless. 

His first appearance for Amakhosi marked the end of a frustrating wait following his move from Cape Town Spurs during the last PSL transfer window. 

A boardroom dispute between Spurs and Chiefs held up his release and kept him sidelined, together with Asanele Velebayi, who, however, made his debut way earlier than Baartman. 

Even after that, the Urban Warriors-Amakhosi standoff was resolved, Baartman had to spend time with the Amakhosi reserve side.

His debut will now give him hope of earning more minutes as Chiefs push to stabilise their season.

Baartman has expressed his feelings after wearing the Amakhosi shirt for the first time in a competitive game.  

After months of hard work in training, he, however, acknowledged the challenge of getting back to match rhythm. 

“It felt good to be back on the field and it was a proud moment for me to wear the Chiefs jersey,” Baartman told the Chiefs website.

“After training hard for the past few months, it was rewarding to finally play for this great institution.  

“Though it wasn’t easy, since I haven’t played for a while, I feel I contributed to the attack as we tried to unlock Galaxy’s defence."

Baartman has a message for Chiefs fans as they head into the festive holidays. 

“I wish our supporters happy festive holidays and a Merry Christmas. We look forward to seeing them in numbers again after the break as we resume our league and Confederation Cup campaigns,” he said. 

Kaizer Chiefs co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef said they went into the TS Galaxy match with a clear plan and an understanding of when to introduce fresh legs. 

He highlighted how Baartman was brought on towards the end of the game and immediately lifted the team’s energy. 

The Tunisian hailed the teenage star for creating several opportunities in the final stages of the match.

"I think all the players deserve to play – we have a big squad now, there is a lot of competition between the players, and for us as coaches, we are with them in training sessions and see which players are more ready for the game," Ben Youssef said.   

"Also, we prepared the plan of the game; we know when we have to make substitutions at the right moments. Baartman came in around 80 minutes and played very well in the last 10 minutes, creating a lot of opportunities for us.  

"But we have to continue to work; the most important thing is the team and not the [individual] players." 

Baartman has a huge chance of becoming a regular for Kaizer Chiefs after arriving as an option in a strikeforce that has struggled for consistency in front of goal. 

His arrival gives him the perfect platform to prove he is the clinical finisher the Amakhosi coaches have been searching for. 

This opportunity comes even though Chiefs already have seven forwards in their squad, including Glody Lilepo, Etiosa Ighodaro, Khanyisa Mayo, Wandile Duba, Ashley du Preez and Flavio da Silva. 

With competition for places upfront, Baartman knows he must start scoring goals whenever handed playing minutes to stand out.

He will be hoping to break into the starting lineup when Chiefs resume their season in January 2026.