After a stuttering start to the season by Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari, the side's former back-up net-minder Virgil Vries has commented on what could be the problem.
Ntwari was earmarked to solve Chiefs' goalkeeping issues, after being signed from TS Galaxy for a reported R5,5 million.
Amakhosi shot-stopper Brandon Petersen was initially preferred as the number one at the beginning of last season, but after a series of errors, he lost his place to Bruce Bvuma.
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Even though the latter had a good spell under interim coach Cavin Johnson, he could not maintain his form in the second round of the campaign after the Africa Cup of Nations break.
All the hopes were on the Rwandan to give the last line of defence stability, especially after Itumeleng Khune's contract was not renewed.
However, the 25-year-old has had an unconvincing start, and according to Vries, Ntwari could still be overawed by the pressure of playing for such a big club.
"Like the people are saying, in terms of his distribution, the command, as a goalkeeper having that voice, it is not something he doesn't have. If he didn't have them at TS Galaxy, I would understand. It's a new environment, this is a big club. I've been there I know. These are strengths [you should have] at the club. In terms of distribution, you need to have that confidence, that aura," Vries said on SoccerBeat YouTube Channel.
"You need the people around to give you that, because when I came to Chiefs, the senior players, the likes of [Bernard] Parker, [Siphiwe] Tshabalala, who were there would put their hand on your shoulder and say, 'Hey mfana, we're not in the same position, but if you push, you're pushing me and if I push, I'm pushing you!'
"We had that chemistry. I feel he's not confident yet and also he might be thinking at a club like this, am I allowed to make a mistake?
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"At a club like that, especially when you're an international, making mistakes... If you look at the mistakes that the goalkeepers at Chiefs have done, I believe it's a club that protects players when they do mistakes. I was one of them trying to be protected, but the pressure is different. It's tough, you need to be mentally strong," the Namibian added.
Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi is under pressure to drop Ntwari for their Betway Premiership encounter against Richards Bay FC on Wednesday, after a 4-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns prior to the FIFA break.