Arthur Zwane Reflects on Mduduzi Shabalala’s Rise, Draws Parallels With His Own Journey

• Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane has reflected on Mduduzi Shabalala's progress and how it relates to his own journey
• The AmaZulu FC coach promoted the South African international to the Glamour Boys first team when he was managing the club
• Fans and social media users also shared their thoughts on Zwane's opinion on Shabalala's progress

AmaZulu FC mentor Arthur Zwane has shared a heartfelt reflection on the rise of his former player, Mduduzi Shabalala, who has recently earned his place in the Bafana Bafana setup after a string of impressive performances for Kaizer Chiefs.

Shabalala, who made his national team debut in October after replacing the injured Relebohile Mofokeng, played a role in South Africa’s 3-0 victory over Rwanda, a result that sealed qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The youngster was part of the squad that won the Nedbank Cup last season and recently led Kaizer Chiefs to victory in their Betway Premiership clash against Orbit College, scoring two goals in the match.

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Zwane Reflects on Shabalala's Rise

Zwane, who promoted Shabalala to the Chiefs senior team in 2022 following his standout displays in the Diski Challenge, spoke candidly about the youngster’s development and how it reminded him of his own journey as a player.

He admitted that, in his early playing days, he often misunderstood tough coaching as personal dislike, only to later realise that such criticism stemmed from a desire to help him grow.

The South African mentor admitted that seeing players he has helped nurture go on to succeed was one of the most rewarding parts of his coaching journey. He said that watching young talents blossom into established names fills him with pride, especially knowing that his guidance played a role in their development.

As for Shabalala, his focus now turns to securing a permanent place in Hugo Broos’ Bafana Bafana setup. A potential AFCON call-up in December could provide the perfect platform for the 21-year-old to strengthen his case for a spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup squad.

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Here’s what social media users are saying about Zwane's comments on Shabalala's progress.

Vukile Khuzwayo said:

"Mdu was supposed to be up there long ago, but coaches stifled his development."

Malerothe Van Vuurn wrote:

"He don't know how to control the ball that is his struggle he basically don't know the basics of football."

John Zulu shared:

"That's true, he rises on his struggle and will be a beast because his a fighter."

Mdu added:

"MDU is better than Mbule it's just that Mbule is doing nothing with confidence,,, I hope you understand what saying 😊."

Chiefs coach gives update on injured duo

Briefly News earlier reported that Kaizer Chiefs coach Khalil Ben Youssef provided an update on when Rushwin Dortley and Given Msimango will return from injury.

Both defenders are yet to play for the Soweto giants this season, and would be a strong addition to the club's strong defensive department this campaign.

Source: Briefly News