Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Ntshangase did not raise his hand up to play - Vilakazi

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Benedict Vilakazi believes Siphelele Ntshangase did little to claim regular playing minutes and has asked why there was so much expectation on Kaizer Chiefs coach Gavin Hunt to hand the player some game time when previous Amakhosi coaches did not consider him.

Chiefs announced partying ways with Ntshangase last Friday, who still had three months left on his contract, to end a difficult four-year stint at the club.

Vilakazi claimed his Chiefs exit should serve as an important lesson for the player to improve himself.

“No, not at all [he did not raise his hand up to play]. If I was him I would have to be realistic and honest to myself and ask why these other coaches did not play me in the past three or four seasons,” Vilakazi told iDiski TV.

“You were there in the team but not playing. You can’t go to a big team like Chiefs and you don’t raise your hand up.

"For him it is a learning curve and I hope it is not late for him to go back and learn from his mistakes and rectify them. I hope somebody else will give him a chance but only if he fixes his mentality.

“It’s unfortunate, sometimes we just need to be realistic and these boys need to understand that they are not doing us favours.

“We can’t have coaches before who did not play you and now we need to ask this other coach why he didn’t give you a chance. Then we need to look back and as what were the reasons [he didn’t play]. Steve Komphela didn’t play him, [Ernst] Middendorp didn’t play him.

“So why are we forcing Gavin Hunt to play him. Yes maybe we might not necessarily force Gavin Hunt to play him but as a coach who didn’t manage to sign players, maybe by giving him a chance he was going to contribute something and see he is a player who would add value in the team.”

Vilakazi suggests that there could have been issues between the player and the club playing out in the background, away from public glare.

“But because of certain things that were happening behind the scenes, the boy needs to learn his lessons that he was not doing anyone a favour but to himself,” continued Vilakazi.

“Playing for a big team like Chiefs, Pirates and Sundowns you must know why you are there and football is his job actually. That is one thing he needs to understand that when you are playing professional football you are working. If you don’t work, you will not get paid.

“So our boys need to understand that because there is always rumours that he doesn’t go to training etcetera. If you are not going to work, somebody else will do so and get the money you were supposed to get.”