‘Cele should make the Bafana Bafana squad’ – ex-Chiefs star

Former Kaizer Chiefs winger Junior Khanye feels Amakhosi new midfielder Thabo Cele should be included in the Bafana Bafana squad.

Hugo Broos named his 23-man Bafana squad to play in the 2026 FIFA World Cup and his squad lacked Amakhosi players. Cele, who has played well since joining Chiefs in January, did not even make the 37-man preliminary squad.

“For me, [Cele] has fitted in like a glove although I am concerned about the players around him. There is no doubt that the boy is a good player and was properly developed,” Khanye told SNL24.

“But we have seen players join Chiefs before while on top of their game, but they failed to deliver according to the expectations. It depends on who is coaching these players. In my opinion, Chiefs get it wrong with the appointment of coaches, because most of the time the coaches they have had fail to make the best out of the players signed by the club. The culture of the team has been lost.

Cele has impressed since joining Kaizer Chiefs

“All in all, Thabo Cele has fitted in well at Chiefs and is doing well, but unfortunately, I don’t think he is playing under a coach who believes in ball-playing players in [Nasreddine] Nabi. For me, Cele should at least make the preliminary squad for Bafana Bafana [for the FIFA World Cup qualifiers],” Khanye concluded.

Cele has made six appearances for Chiefs since joining the club in January. Despite his poor disciplinary record, the Bafana midfielder has impressed in his short time with the Glamour Boys.

Should Thabo Cele be in Hugo Broos’s squad?

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