Isaac Mabotsa not confident in Kaizer Chiefs' CAF Champions League campaign

Due to a FIFA transfer ban, Chiefs have been unable to strengthen their squad and as a result have turned to some of their MultiChoice Diski Challenge stars.

The Phefeni Glamour Boys will begin their 2020/21 campaign with a preliminary fixture against Cameroonian champions PWD Bamenda on the weekend of 27-29 November in Cameroon.

Mabotsa was a member of the Chiefs team that won the African Cup Winners' Cup (Mandela Cup) with only 15 registered players to choose from after beating InterClube of Angola 1-0 at Ellis Park to win 2-1 on aggregate.

Scroll right to see Mabotsa's well balanced Dream Team (4-4-2)

GK - Moeneeb Josephs - I believe in him. He's a shot stopper. He's good playing as a sweeper and good on penalties. I played with him a lot, even in the U-17, U-20 and U-23.

RB - Isaac Mabotsa - That's me, my brother. Isaac is a hard worker. One-on-one situations, I know he can win those. He is also good at overlapping to help the offensive players.

LB - Dillon Sheppard - I played with him from the juniors. I knew him as a defender before he played as a winger. Very comfortable on the ball and also good going forward.

CB - Mbulelo Mabizela - Old-John we all know where he got to, he deserves it. He could play everywhere, man-marking, good on tackles, even in the air, and also reading the game.

CB - Benson Mhlongo - Behind me and Old-John as a sweeper, he is marvelous in that position. I need people who play from the back. I don't want a team that throws the ball away.

CM - Tinashe Nengomasha - You know what he did at Chiefs, made his mark for stamina and energy. He is also good at initiating the counter-attacks. When we attack he stays behind.

CM - Thabo Mooki - Modimo wa Bolo [soccer god]. Able to control the game. I love the guy to be honest. He played at Chiefs before I got there but I've always followed his game.

RW - Arthur Zwane - During 'Vat Alles' he was the guy who was in front of me. Whatever I achieved at Chiefs, 10111 contributed to that. When I went forward, he was there covering.

LW - Gift Leremi - In terms of attacking he could play left or right. You could put him everywhere. He could shoot with both left and right.

ST - Jabu Pule - I'm talking about Jabu Pule, not Mahlangu [laughs loudly]! No, Mahlangu is the older version. 'Shuffle' won games for the team out of nowhere.

ST - Katlego Mphela - He was a goalscorer and could also protect the ball very well to allow attacking midfielders to join him. And he had pace you know. That's why I like him.

Bench - Siboniso Gaxa, Lebogang Mokoena, Benedict Vilakazi, Lucky Maselesele, Mabhuti Khenyeza

Technical Team - Head Coach: Muhsin Ertugral. Assistant Coach: Roger De Sa

"They have to go since you know they can't sign any players you understand," Mabotsa tells snl24.com/kickoff.

"But for me, my opinion, because if you check at moment it will take time for them to be able to compete in the Champions League you understand. Because they've got youngsters who don't have that much of an experience. If you check again the senior players are not performing.

"It will be difficult, it will be really, really hard for them to compete there. Yes, they do have a team but at the moment Gavin Hunt is playing the youngsters.

"For me those boys are still [too] young to play in the Champions League. In my opinion I don't see them progressing to the latter stages. I don't think that team is ready to compete in the Champions League.

"I don't know... what I've been asking myself is where is that team that came second last season? Yes, [Samir] Nurkovic is injured but all of them they are still there. Yes, it's nice to give the youngsters a chance to play but where has that team gone to?

"Yes, they flopped in the last minute but they were playing well and they were producing results. But I don't see that team this season and I don't understand what's happening."

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