South African football legend Mlungisi Ngubane believes that Fiston Mayele's performance might have declined if his transfer to Kaizer Chiefs had gone through.
The Congolese striker was on coach Nasreddine Nabi's wishlist at the beginning of the 2024/2025 Premier Soccer League season.
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However, the transfer didn't materialize because the 20-year-old center-forward chose to join a financially strong Egyptian team Pyramids FC instead.
"He could be a different player now if he had signed with Chiefs; his form would likely have dropped by now," Ngubane says.
"I'm convinced there’s a deeper issue within the Kaizer Chiefs team. They tend to sign good players, yet these players' performances decline once they arrive.
"Chiefs players appear to choose specific games to perform in; they play well only when they feel like it and lack commitment.
"From my experience in football, this often stems from divisions within the team. You might find that some players are favorites of certain members of the club's management; even top management might have their own preferred players within the Chiefs squad.
"When players realize they're favored by particular management figures, they often lose motivation to push themselves because they feel secure. This seems to be the problem Kaizer Chiefs is facing right now.
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"I'm telling you, the Chiefs players are at the same level as those at Orlando Pirates, but the difference is that Pirates players show commitment and a fighting spirit whenever theybenter the field. They refuse to lose.
"Chiefs have talented players like Mduduzi Tshabalala and Wandile Duba, but they lack discipline on the field. They argue with referees, point fingers, and want to confront officials. They behave this way because they know they are favored, which gives them a sense of job security."
