Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari has insisted that he is not the only problem at the Soweto giants amid the club’s struggles in the Betway Premiership.
Amakhosi have had a difficult start to the new season, having collected only seven points from five games. This slow start has seen them slip to eighth in the league.
They also suffered an embarrassing 4-0 loss at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns at the FNB Stadium in the quarter-finals of the Carling Knockout Cup earlier this month.
The 25-year-old Ntwari, who has been coach Nasreddine Nabi's preferred first-choice goalkeeper for the club since the start of the season, has come under heavy criticism from the fans for his unconvincing performances between the posts.
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The Rwandan goalkeeper has conceded 14 goals in nine matches across all competitions this season, managing to keep only one clean sheet.
“It’s not about me being the problem, the issue is the team isn’t in a good place right now,” said Ntwari.
“We started the season well, but over the last three games, we haven’t performed as expected. This is a team with a passionate fan base, and the pressure to win every match is always there,” Ntwari told Rwandan publication The New Times.
Ntwari aslo addressed the criticism directed at him, stating it was part of football, and expressed his belief that the club’s fortunes would improve.
“It’s not a big deal. These things happen in football. You can’t win every match, and sometimes fans don’t handle that well. But that’s the reality of the sport. I believe things will improve in the coming days.
“Sometimes players are at fault, but the only way forward is to keep working hard. We’ll continue giving everything to ensure the team gets back on track,” he said.
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IOL Sport