Njabulo Ngcobo is not our best defender, says Kaizer Chiefs’ Stuart Baxter

Cape Town — Despite being named the best defender in the DStv Premiership last season, and being one of Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos’ first choices in that position, Njabulo Ngcobo is yet to impress Kaizer Chiefs’ Stuart Baxter.

The Chiefs boss has insisted in playing Ngcobo in midfield this season, something which has irked Broos, who would prefer it if he played in defence, the position he is relied to perform in by the national team.

According to The Citizen’s Phakaaathi on Monday, there have been rumours that Ngcobo is not happy with his situation at the Naturena club.

However Baxter said the player didn’t play in defence as he wasn’t the best defender at the club.

“If he wants to play at centre back, he will play at centre back, if he is the best centre back we have,” Baxter was quoted by The Citizen.

“He is not [the best] at the moment and I put him at centre midfield. I would think he wants to play wherever selected which is the indication he has given to me,” continued the Brit.

“I am sure his preference is centre back but he has got to prove that he is the best for that job. He has had a few injuries and he has been up and down and it hasn’t been easy for him in his first season at Kaizer Chiefs.

“I am not rushing him. I will try to evaluate him over a long period of time and it would help him if he didn’t have a 12 inch burn that ripped the skin off him and he can hardly walk. It would help him to show at training that he is worth a place.”

It was not yet clear what caused the burns that caused Ngcobo to miss Chiefs’ Nedbank Cup clash against TS Galaxy on the weekend.

IOL Sport