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Former Kaizer Chiefs utility player Patrick Mayo says his old team should forget about the Caf Champions League and focus on the home front as they don’t have the depth to compete with some of the best teams on the continent.
The bosses, who were banned from signing players by FIFA until July 2021, faced Cameroonian league champion PWD Bamenda in the preliminary stage of the Champions League later this month.
AmaKhosi has continued to stutter since the start of the season with coach Gavin Hunt and has already suffered heavy losses to rivals Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates in the Dstv Premiership and MTN8 respectively.
“They have no depth and so I suggest they just focus on the domestic league and remaining cup competition,” said former Bafana Bafana player who played as a forward and defender for Chiefs.
“I don’t want to lie to them, they are going to fight in the Champions League because most of the clubs that have qualified there are very strong and have experience playing in this competition.
“There is no point in concentrating on the Champions League and being threatened by relegation at the end of the season.
“You have to focus more on the national league and push to qualify for the Champions League next season. They have to forget about that because, as I said, they don’t have the depth to compete with some of the best teams on the continent, which they can even face before the group stage.
Mayo said Chiefs fans should be patient with Coach Hunt, as the club’s troubles began long before his arrival.
“This situation the Chiefs are in right now, you can’t really blame coach Gavin Hunt. He is trying to get the best out of the players at his disposal and it must be said that the football they are playing now is entertaining to be honest.
“They are short of scorers up front and we don’t know how things will be when Samir Nurković is available.
“Experienced players like Lebogang Manyama, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Itumeleng Khune, Nurković, Willard Katsande and the others must not lose hope. They must bear the responsibility of motivating the younger and inexperienced.
“I’m sorry for the younger players because at Chiefs you have to adapt quickly, but I think things will go well for them in the long run.
“The older players should help the younger ones because they have football knowledge and they know how to handle pressure.”
Mayo said there are still several months to play this season and the Chiefs could still find their rhythm.
“They will reinforce the team with quality players who will help them as soon as they have complied with the transfer ban,” he said.
“Let’s give them the benefit of finishing in the top eight because the league just started and we all know it’s a marathon.
“In the league it’s not about how you start, it’s about how you stay the course and finish the race. Maybe the players will stabilize as the season continues and the younger players become more confident.
“Gavin has no choice at this point but to use some of the inexperienced players that he found there. It has to do with what he has right now because he can’t sign players.”
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