Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela admits that attacking midfielder Siphelele Ntshangase is struggling to adapt to life at Naturena.

The 24-year-old has struggled to cement a regular place in the Amakhosi starting lineup, having made 14 appearances in all competitions since joining the club from Baroka during the January transfer window.

Komphela insists Ntshangase is struggling with the pressure that comes with playing for a club of Chiefs’ calibre, but he insists he’ll remain patient.

‘Chiefs is a different animal. It is not easy for the young kid,’ Komphela told FarPost.

‘This is an unbelievable brand; it is huge and it will swallow you. You could come here having achieved immensely in your little environment but when you come here, dynamics are different.

‘Adaptation takes long, we’ve seen top players come at Chiefs and we say “but what happened with them?” So we need to understand that.’

He added: ‘The talent is there, but to come and just hit the ground running here is not easy and it doesn’t only happen with players.

‘Everybody else, it is not easy at Chiefs. But we are patient, there are glimpses of him where you see the brilliance and the intelligence in him.

‘You want to see that more consistently, but it needs a lot of mental strength and acceptance of the challenge and go through that knowing we are professional. He will get there.

‘But where he was playing before it was clear, the talent was clear, very exciting and very energetic and all that.

‘Now that he came to Chiefs, he doesn’t do such, it is not easy here,’ Komphela concluded.

Kaizer Chiefs will now turn their attention to the Nedbank Cup when they welcome Free State Stars to the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the semi-final on Saturday, with kick-off set for 8.15pm.

Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix