Xolani Mabaso: South African Star Opens Up on Wasted Kaizer Chiefs Career, Confirms What Went Wrong
- Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Xolani Mabaso opened up about his time at Naturena, admitting he fell short of his potential
- Mabaso, known as 'Touch,' revealed he struggled with the pressure of wearing the black and gold shirt during his stint at the club
- The South African midfielder confessed he became disinterested rather than working harder when opportunities dried up at Chiefs
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Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Xolani Mabaso has publicly acknowledged that a poor attitude derailed what could have been a far more successful career at Naturena.
Mabaso, affectionately nicknamed "Touch," came through the club's youth structures before earning opportunities in the first team during a period when the Glamour Boys were among the country's most competitive sides.
**Mabaso Admits Wasted Chance at Naturena**
Speaking to Soccer Laduma, Mabaso reflected candidly on his failure to capitalise on the platform Chiefs gave him. He admitted that the weight of expectation that comes with representing one of South Africa's biggest clubs affected his performances on the pitch.
"I would like to believe so, that there was that element of lacking here and there at times," he said. "As footballers, sometimes we can be ignorant. Chiefs had cream of the crop in their team at the time, and just by being part of the group, I expected things to just happen for me."
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**Poor Attitude Cost Him His Place**
Rather than responding to reduced playing time with renewed determination, Mabaso acknowledged that he became disengaged — a response he now views as a critical mistake.
"When that didn't happen, I started asking myself questions as to why I wasn't playing instead of working harder to show that I deserved to play," he admitted.
He described the final stages of his time at the club as a period of unhappiness that compounded his difficulties, noting that a negative mindset ultimately proved fatal to his progress at the club.
"Towards the end of my time with Chiefs, I wasn't happy, and once you are not happy, you can hardly achieve anything, not just in football but in life. My situation affected my performance levels, and that was it. Disappointing," Mabaso said.
His reflections serve as a rare admission from a former Chiefs player about the psychological demands of playing for a club of that stature, and how the failure to manage those demands can cut short even a promising career.
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Source: Briefly News
