Staff Reporter.
Kaizer Chiefs have confirmed the appointment of a former goalkeeper who has joined their technical team, in both the first and reserve teams.
Aubrey Mathibe returns to the Naturena based club after stints at Swallows FC, Amazulu and Black Leopards.
Mathibe will be tasked with mainly focusing on the reserve side goalkeeping department but will work hand in hand with current first team goalkeeper coach Lee Baxter.
The 41 year old has been a goalkeeper coach for Black Leopards, Swallows FC before his latest appointment at Chiefs. He revealed his delight at returning to a club he called home for a very long time.
“I’m happy to return back home and to be reunited with some old friends here at the Kaizer Chiefs family,” Mathibe said, according to a club statement.
“It is truly an honour to join Kaizer Chiefs in this capacity and I look forward to sharing my experience with the goalkeepers and colleagues.”
Chiefs have always been blessed in the goalkeeping department and often provided a good spine for the national team to build on and Mathibe hopes to keep that tradition going for many more years to come.
“I know I have a huge task ahead of me. The country hasn’t been doing well in recent years in terms of goalkeepers and that has obviously affected Bafana Bafana, so I hope I can bring back the standards of goalkeeping that Chiefs fans expect,” he explained.
Kaizer Motaung Junior, a former teammate of Mathibe and now Sporting Director at the club emphasised the importance of having former players around the current crop of players as they look to instill the club culture into the squad.
Chiefs issued the following statement on Friday evening:
“Kaizer Chiefs are delighted to welcome former goalkeeper Aubrey Tlali Mathibe back into the Amakhosi fold,” a club statement read. “He rejoins the Club in his new capacity as goalkeeper coach and will work with both the reserve as well as the senior team.
“Mathibe will primarily look after the reserve team as a goalkeeper coach but will also be an integral part of the senior team, working hand in hand with Lee Baxter where we have top international keepers such as Itumeleng Khune, Bruce Bvuma, Brandon Petersen and Daniel Akpeyi. He will also work with the Scouting department.