Latest news with #AdenMcCarthy
IOL News
7 days ago
- Sport
- IOL News
Kaizer Chiefs Diski youth revival offers hope amid senior team struggles
Aden McCarthy Former Chiefs defender Fabian McCarthy believes his son Aden is ready to make the step up to the first team. Photo: BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Kaizer Chiefs have not had much to celebrate this season, but their recent Nedbank Cup triumph – coupled with their junior team's success in the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) – may lay the foundation for a brighter future and a potential turnaround in the coming campaign. While the senior team battled inconsistency throughout the season, Amakhosi's youth side was a solid force in the DDC, clinching the league title with one match to spare. Neighbours Orlando Pirates have reaped significant rewards from a well-structured youth system. Many of Pirates' current stars graduated from their DDC squad, and now perform on the biggest stages in South Africa and beyond. Amakhosi, too, have shown strong signs in that department. Their development system has produced notable talents in recent years – including Mduduzi Shabalala and, more recently, Aden McCarthy. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ With the first team clearly in need of rejuvenation, there is a growing belief that the next step is to give more of these emerging players opportunities in the senior setup next season. Chiefs' DDC assistant coach Dillon Sheppard, who worked alongside head coach Vela Khumalo, believes the league has become a vital component in South African football development. 'If you go through the teams this season, a lot of the players have featured consistently on the bench for the senior teams,' said Sheppard. 'It has played a huge role in providing regular game-time and in increasing the competitiveness of the league. The players are able to make the step up. 'A couple of years ago, the step up from the DDC into the first team was a lot bigger, but that gap has gotten a lot smaller now. 'All the players from the DDC are able to step up and get game time in the first team. 'Now we also see our national teams – both the Under-20 and Under-17 – going to the World Cup, so our development is really in a good place.' The Glamour Boys have, in previous instances, been criticised for not always capitalizing on the youth talent they have. One example of this is TS Galaxy midfielder Puso Dithejane. After coming through the club's youth system, he left Naturena in search of regular senior football and joined the Rockets. The move has proven successful, with Dithejane recently earning a spot in Bafana Bafana's preliminary squad named by head coach Hugo Broos for their two upcoming international friendlies. According to Sheppard, stories like Dithejane's highlight that development success is not only about feeding the first team but also about preparing players for long-term professional careers, wherever they may go. 'We need to look at the positivity of the players we are producing,' Sheppard continued. 'Not everyone will get promoted to your first teams – and that is the reality of it. 'With the likes of Shabalala and (Wandile) Duba, they were all born in 2004, and Mfundo (Vilakazi) in 2005, so we already have four players we've promoted. 'Other players won't have their pathways going into the first team, and they go out and find their careers. 'And that is the reality of football – you cannot play 11 DDC players in the first team. 'There is a lot of pressure at the moment, and it is important that we find these players a pathway, and wish them the best when they do move on.'
The Citizen
17-05-2025
- Sport
- The Citizen
Nabi lauds Chiefs debutante McCarthy
'He gave a very good performance,' Nabi told SuperSport TV. Aden McCarthy made his first PSL start for Chiefs on Saturday. Picture: Alche Greeff/BackpagePix Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi praised Amakhosi debutante Aden McCarthy, after the 21 year-old was given his first Premier Soccer League start in the 1-1 Betway Premiership draw with Sekhukhune United at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday. ALSO READ: Chiefs and Pirates both left frustrated by a point apiece McCarthy played at left back and generally gave an assured display, with Chiefs missing several defenders through injury and suspension. Chiefs' Nabi – 'A very good performance' 'I want to take the opportunity to congratulate Aden McCarthy. It was his first game in the Premier League and he gave a very good performance,' Nabi told SuperSport TV. The draw at Sekhukhune keeps Chiefs in ninth place in the Premiership, tied on 31 points with eighth-placed Chippa United and tenth-placed Marumo Gallants. A win at home to Polokwane City, who are two points above Chiefs in seventh, in their last league game of the season on May 24 should be enough to qualify Chiefs for next season's MTN8. But the Nedbank Cup champions have made it difficult for themselves after a run of eight Premiership games in a row without a win. 'In the last game we need to fight for the three points. It will not be easy but we hope to get some players back from injury and suspension,' added Nabi. 'Today we had no defender on the bench. But congratulations to the players, they gave everything to get the three points (today), but there is still a chance and we will do everything we can to finish in the top eight.' Sekhukhune are chasing third place and a spot alongside Chiefs in next season's Caf Confederation Cup. And it looked good for Eric Tinkler's side on Saturday. as they took a fourth minute lead through Mpho Rammala. 'A deserved point' Glody Lilepo, however, equalised on the stroke of half time for Amakhosi. The draw means Sekhukhune have been over taken by Stellenbosch, who beat SuperSport United 2-1. ALSO READ: Galaxy steal a point against Pirates in Orlando 'We feel three points could have gone either way,' added Nabi. 'Both teams had chances to score. But with all the absences that we had, we feel it is a deserved point.'
