The ex-Bafana midfielder was speaking after the Glamour Boys suffered a humiliating 4-1 loss to PSL rookies Royal AM at FNB Stadium on Saturday
Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Jabu Mahlangu has questioned the character in the Amakhosi side and pin-pointed Khama Billiat as one example.
Mahlangu, who previously went by the surname Pule, felt that Billiat should have shown a greater desire to track back after losing the ball near the opponents’ box, which ultimately led to the final goal of the game, converted by substitute Mfundo Thikazi with the last kick of the match.
“Billiat lost the ball on the D-line of the 18-area. He didn’t even show that he’s lost the ball and it’s a counter-attack,” Mahlangu said in his capacity as a SuperSport TV presenter.
“What I’m saying is effort. When you lose the ball, and you see danger is on…you can run, you can sweat to try and defend. But you look at the body language of Khama there after losing the ball. ‘Who cares, they [his team-mates] will see that.’
“That’s not the attitude for the team,” Mahlangu added.
For Royal AM’s second goal, Victor Letsoalo bent in a brilliant free-kick past Brandon Petersen. Mahlangu felt that not enough was done to protect the Chiefs goal, and that the lack of communication highlights the shortage of character in the side.
“Communicate with the goalkeeper (at the free-kick). There’s that one player who [should] communicate with the goalkeeper and arrange the wall.
“We don’t see players who have that character at the moment in Kaizer Chiefs. The coach can’t coach how to defend (a free-kick). You are professionals, you practise at training. [Someone should be] saying ‘Jabu, wake up’. I don’t see players with character. At a team likes Chiefs, you must have characters like this.”
The defeat was a third of the season for Stuart Baxter’s side, following losses to Mamelodi Sundowns in both the league and in the MTN8 quarter-finals.
Having drawn against TS Galaxy and beaten Baroka FC, the Soweto side has four points from their opening four league games.
Next up for them are Marumo Gallants, at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on September 26.
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