Ashley Du Preez Vows to Play Key Role in Chiefs’ Push for Top Spots
Kaizer Chiefs torrid time in the Betway Premiership is set to continue as they will once again look on as another season goes by without the league title.
The long-awaited quest for silverware
Amakhosi last won the league title or any domestic trophy in 2015 under the leadership of Scottish coach Stuart Baxter.
And with their chances this season having vanished like smoke in the wind, their trophyless run is all but set to continue as they currently find themselves in a lowly eighth position.
They of course have an opportunity to turn their fortunes around after making the semi-finals of the Nedbank Cup at the expense of Stellenbosch FC in a controversial 3-1 win a fortnight ago.
Inconsistency continues to be their biggest obstacle, and the international break has been timely for Nasreddine Nabi and his chargers.
After another surprise 2-0 loss against Richards Bay FC in their last league outing, they have only managed to collect four points from a possible 15 in their last five outings.
Nabi has come under increasing pressure despite Chiefs showing glimpses of improvements since he took over at the start of the season.
A lot still up for grabs
Positions as high as the third are still a possibility for the Glamour Boys if they can somehow manage to strike a consistent run of form.
They will be pleased to once again have the services of striker Ashley du Preez, who recently returned from a shoulder injury that kept him out of action for a couple of months.
On his return, Du Preez has already found the back of the net in a 1-0 win against Magesi FC in the league, and with the team short of goals, the 27-year-old hopes he can help inspire them to more wins.
Du Preez told Sportsboom.co.za that despite their obstacles, Chiefs have a lot of room for improvement, and they still have a chance to make inroads in the Betway Premiership table.
“When there are setbacks coming your way, it is about how you bounce back. For me, this season has been a really good one, but together as a club we can do much better, and we need to focus on getting into a higher position.”
“As a player, it’s always nice to win games for your team and also to make the fans happy as well as the club.”
“We need to win as many games as we can so that we can finish in a better position than we are currently, so that our fans and the club can be proud of us.”
Amakhosi have been facing challenges in front of goal having only managed to score 22 goals in 22 matches, and the former Stellies center forward is determined to step up and play a more influential role in the team’s attack for the remainder of the season.
Breaking down barriers
The versatile forward recently had his contract renewed by a further two years, increasing his stay at the club to 2027.
Du Preez has played 76 matches for Chiefs since moving over from Stellies in July 2022, scoring 19 goals so far in all competitions. The 27-year-old spoke about his intentions to increase his goal tally and also remain injury-free.
“Personally, there is still a lot I can improve on. I haven’t started a lot of games, and I would also like to be injury-free because injuries always take you out, and when
coming back, it is always a struggle to get back to the team,” Du Preez continued.
“I am pleased that my contract was extended, but I also want to improve on the number of goals I score.”
“For me, it will really be important for the rest of the season to reduce my injuries and get as many appearances in the starting eleven as possible, to also help the team
win games, and to hopefully also be more on the score sheet.”