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Cape Town - Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Robson Muchichwa believes Amakhosi coach Ernst Middendorp has missed a trick in not utilising new signing James Kotei.
Kotei arrived at Naturena with much hype, having been nicknamed 'Iron Man' during his time at Tanzanian giants Simba SC.
Madagascan international Andriamirado 'Dax' Andrianarimanana was released to make space for Kotei's inclusion in the squad as the new PSL rules state that clubs can only have five foreigners on their books at one time.
But Middendorp has opted not to utilise the services of the 25-year-old Ghanaian midfielder Kotei, something which Muchichwa is struggling to understand the reasoning behind.
"I would say [to Kotei] continue to work hard as a player. It happens in football, this is how football is. It makes you strong at the end of the day as a footballer," Muchichwa told KickOff.
"So for me I would say he must continue, it's not his fault, it's not his problem why he is not playing, it's the coach's plan. So he must keep on working hard.
"I think you can't judge a book by its cover my friend. For me he has to be given a chance and a fair chance like any other player so that we can judge and say he is good for Chiefs or not."
Muchichwa was then asked on whether he thought the club made the right decision to offload 'Dax', who had impressed in the latter half of last season after taking some time to settle in.
"My friend, if I need a player right now, who is going to play right now? I will take a player who I know. I will never gamble and take a person who I don't know, because I don't know what he's going to give me," he explains.
"Ja, each and every coach has got his own plan. I wouldn't say [Kotei is Chiefs quality] because I haven't seen much, you understand my brother? But I believe he is supposed to be given a chance to show his talent."
Muchichwa believes that if Kotei is not integrated in to the squad soon, it will represent a blunder on the part of Chiefs.
"It is by not giving him a chance." Muchichwa replies.
"It is. I don't know what criteria they are using to sign foreign players. You can't bring a foreign player and sign him and then not play him. So for me I don't know the criteria is they are using because in a foreign player I believe you should go out there and look for a good player. There is a lot of quality (out) there.
"At the end of the day he is there, so give him a chance. If he fails then you take a decision, there's no need of judging a person before you give him a chance. For me it's not fair, it's not even fair for the club.
"They need to give him a fair chance and not put him in an awkward position as well, whereby they put him under pressure."
- TeamTalk Media
