Kaizer Chiefs Legend Mark Williams Reveals What Langelihle Phili Must Do To Succeed At Amakhosi

Following youngster Langelihle Phili having signed for Kaizer Chiefs, club legend and former striker Mark Williams advised that to be successful at Chiefs, a player requires big-match temperament and hunger to score goals. 

Williams put an emphasis on discipline off the field as one of the key ingredients for success in a big team such as Chiefs.

BMT & Hunger For Goals

Williams understands the pressure that the likes of Phili will be subjected to, having signed for perhaps the biggest team in the country in terms of fan base and support.

The 59-year-old highlighted that a player needs to have thick skin to be able to handle the pressure and needs to show the hunger and love for big games.

“Not all players can play when the stadiums are packed. Some of them, they don't have BMT, which basically means that they can't take the pressure,” Williams told SportsBoom.co.za.

“So, it's really important when you play for these big teams, you need to expect that when you go there, there's always going to be a full house, and if you can't take the pressure, then you need to get out. Don't go and sign for a team like that." 

“I think all soccer players, they don't know it; only afterwards they discover that when they play for a smaller team, there's no pressure because there's only 500 people watching them." 

“I loved playing for the big teams. I think for me, my dream was always to play for one of the big teams. When I came to Kaizer Chiefs, the only difference I realised was that I needed to score goals to make people happy." 

“How I got there was to understand what the people come for. They come to see the team win, and doing that meant I had to score goals," he added. 

Chiefs have also been linked with a move for Mamelodi Sundowns winger Thapelo Maseko, although it appears his parent club are keen to block any potential transfer.

Discipline Off The Field

Williams emphasised the importance of having discipline on and off the field in order to be successful for a long period of time at a big club such as Chiefs.

“You must understand what comes with it because the easy part for kids is that they are always like, ‘ I want to play for Manchester United, I want to play for Arsenal,’ but with that comes a lot of pressure,” said Williams.  

“You must be able to love that. I always wanted to play there. But that comes with a lot of pressure. You have to be disciplined off the field, not only on the field, because if you don't have discipline, you bring a lot of pressure on yourself." 

“Off the field is very important. I think a lot of times players, they're on the training ground and they're so disciplined, but when they're off the field, that is when it (indiscipline) starts.”

Show Consistency

Kaizer Chiefs are set to play against Golden Arrows in the MTN 8 quarterfinals at FNB Stadium on Sunday. 

This presents the Soweto giants with a golden opportunity to get silverware early into the season and give their supporters something to smile about, having gone through an extended period of time without trophies.

Following Chiefs' 3-1 victory over Kruger United in the Betway Premiership last weekend, Williams says that they need to show consistency in order to compete with top teams such as Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, which have really been dominant in the domestic circuit.

“There are always trophies up for grabs, but they're not getting them. It's about consistency. Yes, being in the top eight is nice; it’s a good start. The only thing I want to see is consistency,” Williams told SportsBoom.

“Why Pirates win the league? Because they were consistent. What the Chiefs did in the first game is that going to come through consistently? If that comes through, I see them playing in the final.”