If South African football fans want to help young players develop their confidence and skills, Patrick "Tito" Maswanganyi says they should be more patient and supportive.During an online press conference hosted by the South African Football Journalists Association, the midfielder from Al-Khaldiya mentioned two young players from Kaizer Chiefs, Mfundo Vilakazi and Mduduzi Shabalala, who are still in the process of developing and could use some support.

In Chiefs' Carling Knockout quarterfinal match against Siwelele FC at Peter Mokaba Stadium, Maswanganyi brought up Shabalala's missed penalty. After the miss, he claimed that some fans wanted the midfielder substituted.However, Shabalala remained and went on to help Chiefs get another opportunity. Maswanganyi said that it could be detrimental to the team's performance and the player's self-esteem to bench a young player right after they make a mistake.He was also worried about the backlash Vilakazi gets whenever he falls short of expectations.

As they acclimate to the demands of senior-level football, he said, young players require time and support."Outside the country, there's a lot of love for young players, but in South Africa, it's really hard to show love to those players," he explained.Emerging players, according to Maswanganyi, have the potential to become pivotal figures for Bafana Bafana in the future, but they require time to learn before being expected to consistently perform.

Although he acknowledges that fans desire high-quality performances, he believes that criticism shouldn't be so harsh that it deters aspiring artists.Can fans in South Africa expect their teams to win while also allowing their young players the time to develop?

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