How Kaizer Chiefs helped Asanele Velebayi stay focused

Velebayi insists the move to Naturena has helped ground him both on and off the pitch.

The winger joined Amakhosi at the start of the season after spending his entire professional career at Cape Town Spurs, a transition that has unsettled many players in the past. But for Velebayi, the step up to one of South African football's biggest institutions has brought clarity rather than pressure.

Instead of being overwhelmed by the expectations that come with playing for Chiefs, the 21-year-old believes the club's demanding environment has forced him to mature quicker and take responsibility for his lifestyle away from football.

"For me personally, obviously there's been a huge change in my life, not only as a footballer, but as a person as well," Velebayi told the media.

"But because Kaizer Chiefs is a big club, it has changed me a lot, and it has helped me focus more because of the pressure and the lifestyle outside football."

Velebayi explained that joining Chiefs has made him more conscious of the sacrifices required to succeed at the highest level, with discipline now a non-negotiable part of his daily routine.

"It has helped me stay focused more knowing that there are sacrifices that I gotta do now, there are things that I can and cannot do," he added.

"So, it has been positive in that way. It has helped me focus more and just stay on the ground."

The winger's comments suggest a player embracing the responsibility that comes with the famous gold and black shirt, determined to grow alongside the club rather than be swallowed by its size.