Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Thabiso “Skapie” Malatsi has questioned the club’s decision to allow Thabo Cele to leave Naturena, arguing that the experienced midfielder could have played an important role in improving the team’s performances. Malatsi believes Cele possessed the technical ability, experience and leadership qualities needed to help Amakhosi turn disappointing draws into victories. His comments come at a time when Chiefs have remained unbeaten in the league but have struggled to secure consistent wins. The team has also suffered a setback in the CAF Confederation Cup after losing to Zambia’s Red Arrows, adding to concerns about its progress across competitions. With Cele now playing for Mamelodi Sundowns and having already won the MTN8, questions are growing about whether Kaizer Chiefs made the right decision by letting him go.

Malatsi’s criticism reflects the frustration felt by former players who want to see Kaizer Chiefs return to the level expected of one of South Africa’s biggest football clubs. The former midfielder believes Cele had already shown enough quality during his time at Naturena to justify keeping him in the squad. In his view, the player could have contributed even more if he had received greater opportunities to establish himself in the team. Malatsi has suggested that Cele’s departure removed an important option from the midfield at a time when Chiefs needed greater consistency and control in their performances. Although the precise reasons behind the decision to part ways with Cele are not established in the available information, Malatsi remains convinced that the club lost a player who could have made a meaningful difference.

Speaking about the midfielder’s departure, Malatsi admitted that he still questions why Kaizer Chiefs allowed a player of Cele’s quality to leave. He believes Cele made a positive impact after arriving at the club and could have continued improving the team if he had stayed. Malatsi also compared the midfielder’s qualities with those of former Amakhosi greats Thabo “Tsiki-Tsiki” Mooki and Frank Makua, players he knew during his own time at the club. The comparison highlights the type of influence Malatsi believes Cele could have brought to the current squad. Rather than suggesting that Cele was identical to those club legends, his comments underline his belief that the midfielder possessed qualities worthy of recognition at a club with such a rich footballing history.

Malatsi’s assessment carries added significance because he understands the expectations associated with representing Kaizer Chiefs. Having progressed through the club’s environment and been part of its senior team, he knows that playing for Amakhosi involves pressure to deliver consistent performances. Supporters expect midfielders to provide energy, composure and intelligence while helping the team control matches against different opponents. Cele’s experience and technical ability could have offered Chiefs another option when games became difficult or when the team needed greater control in possession. However, the extent of the contribution he might have made had he stayed remains a matter of opinion, as no one can know with certainty how the team’s results would have changed.

The midfielder’s move to Mamelodi Sundowns has also added another dimension to the debate. Cele has already won the MTN8 with Sundowns, giving his former club’s decision additional attention among supporters and observers of South African football. Sundowns have established themselves as one of the country’s most competitive teams, making opportunities to contribute to their success particularly valuable for players seeking trophies. Cele’s achievement does not automatically prove that Kaizer Chiefs were wrong to release him, but it strengthens the argument that he remains capable of contributing to a successful squad. For Amakhosi supporters, seeing a former player win silverware elsewhere can naturally raise questions about whether the club could have benefited from retaining his services.

Malatsi was particularly critical when discussing Chiefs’ current struggles to convert draws into victories. Although the team has remained unbeaten in the league, avoiding defeat has not been enough to guarantee the results needed to challenge consistently near the top of the table. Repeated draws can cost valuable points and create pressure on players, coaches and club management. In such circumstances, the quality and balance of the midfield become especially important because that area of the pitch influences possession, transitions and the ability to create attacking opportunities. Malatsi believes keeping Cele could have helped address some of these difficulties, although the club’s wider challenges cannot be attributed to the absence of one player alone.

The defeat against Red Arrows in the CAF Confederation Cup has further complicated the picture for Kaizer Chiefs. Losing a continental fixture can be disappointing for a club seeking to rebuild its reputation and compete successfully on multiple fronts. Such matches demand concentration, tactical discipline and the ability to respond when opponents apply pressure. An experienced midfielder can sometimes help a team manage these situations by retaining possession, making sensible decisions and organising play in the centre of the pitch. Malatsi’s argument is that Cele could have provided some of those qualities, but the result in Zambia does not establish that his presence would necessarily have prevented the defeat.

Malatsi also expressed concern about the level of quality and experience currently available in the Kaizer Chiefs squad. While making it clear that he did not intend to disrespect the players at the club, he singled out Langelihle Phili and Lebohang Maboe as the two individuals he believes are performing at the standard expected of a major team. His assessment suggests that he wants to see more players consistently demonstrate the ability to influence matches and meet the demands placed on Amakhosi. Such comments are likely to intensify discussion about squad depth, recruitment and the club’s approach to building a competitive team. Nevertheless, individual evaluations remain subjective, and players must be assessed over time rather than judged entirely on a limited run of results.

The wider issue for Kaizer Chiefs is how the club identifies and retains players who can contribute to its long-term plans. Successful squad building requires more than signing talented individuals because recruitment decisions must also account for tactical needs, player development, financial considerations and the coach’s preferred style of play. Letting an experienced midfielder leave may be justified under certain circumstances, but clubs must ensure that suitable alternatives are available before making significant changes. If a departure leaves a gap in experience or technical quality, the consequences can become more noticeable when results begin to disappoint. Malatsi’s comments therefore raise important questions about whether Chiefs have maintained the right balance in midfield and whether their decisions are supporting the team’s broader ambitions.

Ultimately, Thabiso “Skapie” Malatsi believes Kaizer Chiefs made a mistake by allowing Thabo Cele to leave Naturena, arguing that the midfielder could have helped the team through a difficult period. Cele’s subsequent MTN8 success with Mamelodi Sundowns has added weight to the discussion, while Chiefs’ struggles to turn league draws into wins and their defeat against Red Arrows have increased pressure on the club to improve. However, the debate is not simply about whether Cele was a good player, but whether Chiefs made the right decision for the needs of their squad. The club must now focus on improving its performances, strengthening its midfield options and making recruitment decisions that deliver consistent results. For Amakhosi supporters, the ultimate measure of the decision will be whether the team can rediscover its winning form and build a squad capable of competing for major honours.