Da Cruz reveals what Phili needs to improve at Chiefs
Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando da Cruz has praised the early impact of Langelihle Phili but says the youngster still has an important area to improve. Phili joined Amakhosi less than two weeks ago but has already caught the attention of the Chiefs supporters.
The talented winger scored his first goal for the club in Saturday’s 1-1 draw against Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB Stadium. The 21-year-old has now featured in three matches across all competitions and has already won a Man of the Match award. Da Cruz has been impressed by Phili’s pace, confidence and ability to take on defenders.
However, the French coach wants him to improve his ball retention, particularly when Chiefs are under pressure. Phili struggled to keep possession during the first half against Sundowns but improved significantly after the break.
“I would like to see him continue to score goals,” Da Cruz said after the match. He added that Phili must learn to keep the ball after Chiefs regain possession and help the team defensively.
“And also when we defend a lot like today, I would like that when we recover the ball, he is able to keep the ball to support the team, as in the first half he lost a lot of balls.
“But in the second half, he was way better as he was able to support the team, and I’m very pleased that he scored. We need to give him time to adapt toWhat Da Cruz wants Langelihle Phili to add to his game Chiefs and to our game model, and it will be better step by step.” Da Cruz believes the winger will continue improving as he adapts to Chiefs’ style of play.
