Top eight finish is a must for Kaizer Chiefs - Thabo Cele

Amakhosi host Polokwane City at FNB Stadium tomorrow afternoon, a direct competition for them, as the Limpopo side are two points ahead of them. 

Chiefs, who recently won the Nedbank Cup title, are currently outside of the top eight, with 31 points from 27 matches. Last season, they finished out the top eight, and if this was to happen again, Cele says it would be unfortunate.

"This match against Polokwane City is crucial because it puts us in a position to be able to compete for everything, and that is the purpose of Kaizer Chiefs. This club must try to win everything, it hasn't been an easy season, but our objective remains to try and win everything," said the midfielder. 

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Cele’s return to SA and aligning with a big brand like Chiefs has also meant that he’s attracting big brands to be an ambassador. As confirmed this week, he's Rudy Project’s new ambassador for their sporty wear and sunglasses. 

The 27-year-old admits that this is the power that comes with the Chiefs association.

"Being part of this brand deal means a lot to me because it's something different, and it really resonates with who I am. I share a lot of attributes with this brand, like mental toughness, hunger, and positivity."

Cele, who grew up in his hometown of Durban, was born in KwaMashu and also had a brief stay in Johannesburg when he was with the Stars of Africa academy. He moved to Portugal at a young age, after a stint at the KwaZulu-Natal football academy. He says the move to Chiefs has also meant adapting to Johannesburg, something that also took him some time.

Cele has also opened up about his emotional moment on the bench after the win against Mamelodi Sundowns in the Nedbank Cup semifinal at Loftus stadium, as well as on their way to breaking a drought of 10 years, winning the trophy in style, beating archrivals Orlando Pirates 2-1 in the final.

"It hasn't been an easy journey for us, but winning the Nedbank Cup has strengthened our belief as we prepare for more challenges," said an optimistic Cele.