Kaizer Chiefs DDC coach Vela Khumalo is reportedly poised for a promotion to the first-team next season, the Siya crew has been informed.
Insiders close to the club have indicated that Khumalo is being considered for the role of assistant coach to Nasreddine Nabi as the club works on reviving its former glory.
The Siya sources added that this move had initially been planned during the Cavin Johnson era, as already reported on Soccer Laduma at the time, but was put on hold as Dillon Sheppard was used as the assistant coach back then.
"This was supposed to happen last season under Cavin Johnson but Dillon (Sheppard) was there as the assistant. But now management believes that they need an assistant coach who can easily communicate with the players and who understands them. And they apparently believe that Vela Khumalo would help in that aspect. They will just look at the logistics since he is already in the system and to see how everything can work for the good of the team," the Siya source stated.
A second insider stated that even with this potential promotion, Khumalo could still assist Sheppard with the DDC team, continuing his role in youth player development.
"He could be working with both the DDC and the senior team. He understands the players very well and most of them are from development and that's why they would like to see him help both sides, the senior team as well as continue to work with Sheppard in the DDC. And you know, he is also with the Under-17 national team so they have to balance all that while giving the first team the first priority," the second insider told the Siya crew.
Khumalo’s influence in Chiefs’ development structures has been commendable. Under his leadership, the club’s youth team won the DStv Diski Challenge league title for the first time in 10 years. Additionally, he guided the South Africa Under-17 national team to qualify for the FIFA Under-17 World Cup.
Soccer Laduma reached out to Chiefs for comment on these developments but had not received a response at the time of publishing.
