Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Dillon Sheppard has admitted that he and Arthur Zwane expect to get criticised but they deserve the chance to prove they are good enough.

Sheppard has been at the club since the arrival of Gavin Hunt, having served under Stuart Baxter as well, and will continue in his role as assistant to newly appointed head coach Zwane.

Zwane, in his first job as a head coach, and Sheppard will have to ignore the noise around their experience and take advantage of the opportunity they have been waiting for.

“There is always going to be a lot of negativities when we speak about building our own. I think it is time that local coaches get their opportunity,” said Sheppard after the appointment on Thursday.

“Yes, it is huge coaching at the big clubs, but this is what we have been prepared for. We have come through youth development and now got the opportunity.

“Yes, there will be noise out there of people underestimating us. The most important thing is the planning, and this is something that has been put into place.

“We have the opportunity to prove now that we are good enough to be where we are. There are going to be bumps along the way and that is normal but as long as we put the right structure in place and with the right planning then I think moving forward will be a lot easier.

“We are going to be criticised and that is normal. We got to have a shield and be a bit stronger and stick to our beliefs because that is going to be important,” says Sheppard who also disclosed that he could have joined Chiefs as a player in 2006 upon returning from Greece.