Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Dominic Isaacs has urged the club to exercise patience with young midfielder Luke Baartman while predicting that winger Asanele Velebayi could be sold to overseas clubs in future.
Isaacs made these observations following Tuesday night's official unveiling of three new signings - striker Etiosa Ighodaro, winger Velebayi and forward Baartman - to supporters during half-time of Chiefs' victory over Richards Bay at FNB Stadium.
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Speaking to Soccer Laduma in an exclusive interview, having the experience of moving from Cape Town to Naturena, the former Ajax defender, Isaacs emphasized the need for careful integration of Baartman into the senior setup.
"As for Baartman they need to integrate him very slowly. He is still a young boy. It will take a while for him to settle in. He is the one who plays in the middle, and you can see the middle, there it is full, so it needs to take time. He is also coming from a long layoff, and if you have done your homework, you know how to deal with players like those. And also, it's a Gauteng team. It's away from home. Those are the things to consider, and the pressure. We have to be patient with him," Isaacs told Soccer Laduma.
However, Isaacs was far more confident about Velebayi's immediate impact potential, believing the winger would provide valuable competition for established Chiefs star Pule Mmodi.
"That one will give Pule (Mmodi) very good competition. I think it will also bring the best out of Pule. I would prefer him on the left. It's right. It's a right backs nightmare to play against a player like that. He can come inside. He can go outside. He is a nightmare. He is a gem. You know, like in a tough game: he is the one. You know you have dribblers who make obvious passes. You know there are dribblers who dribble and those who make a back pass or a midway pass. This one is a dribbler who goes past you. He goes past you. You know this coach has a European mentality, and I have played under those coaches as well. And I think he will fit in Chiefs' system like a hand in glove," Isaacs added.
The former defender went further, suggesting Velebayi's quality could attract overseas interest sooner rather than later.
"Velebayi, maybe I am wrong, but I don't see him in South Africa in the next four years. His performance will sell him off. If everything goes according to God's will, they will sell him off," the former Ajax Cape Town defender told the Siya crew.
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Chiefs had shown early interest in signing both Velebayi and Baartman, but Cape Town Spurs initially insisted the players remain under contract despite the club's relegation to the ABC Motsepe League. The PSL Dispute Resolution Chamber eventually declared both players free agents, allowing Chiefs to complete their signings after a protracted legal battle.
