Kaizer Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi clarified the main position of Glody Makabi Lilepo, who has been playing as a winger since joining the Soweto giants.
The DR Congo international attacker – Lilepo penned a deal with Chiefs in the January transfer window from French third-tier side Valenciennes FC. He has since made a strong impression, contributing directly to four goals in eight appearances, predominantly playing as a winger.
However, there has been uncertainty regarding his preferred position, leading to discussions about whether he is a winger or a centre-forward. Nabi has made it clear that Lilepo’s ‘main position” is that of a winger.
The highly-rated Tunisian coach was speaking after Chiefs’ 0-0 draw against Cape Town City FC in a Betway Premiership match on Wednesday at FNB Stadium in Soweto.
In addition to defining Lilepo’s winger position, Nabi recognised his adaptability, referencing his previous deployment as a striker, especially during his time at Valenciennes.
“I think the first position for him is a winger – right, left, but really, he is a winger. Sometimes in France, he played as a second striker at Valenciennes, but that’s not his first position,” said Nabi.
Meanwhile, Nabi also voiced his frustration with Chiefs’ lack of kller instinct against Cape Town City as his troops missed several goal scoring opportunities.
“Today [Wednesday], in the last 20 minutes, we pushed [Pule] Mmodi on the winger, and we pushed more players into the 18 [area]. I think you observed it. We continued to create more chances, but we couldn’t score. It’s not dramatic, but it’s very bad because it’s not the first time we have a chance to go up [the table], and we drop points,” added Nabi.
“If you remember, at the start of the season and now, the same mistakes are continuing. You have a chance to go up [the table], but you lose this chance.
“Sometimes you need evaluation on why and what is the problem because today [Wednesday], the normal score [could have been] 3-0 or 4-0.”