Bernard Parker has said that Kaizer Chiefs’ young players have to show up more and take some of the burden off the senior players at the club.

Chiefs have a last realistic opportunity in 2017-18 to end the giant club’s painful barren spell and prevent it from being extended to three seasons‚ in the Nedbank Cup‚ where they meet Stellenbosch United in the last-16 at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday night (kickoff: 8.15pm).

Amakhosi’s 3-1 defeat in this past Saturday’s Soweto derby left them eight points adrift of leaders Mamelodi Sundowns in the Absa Premiership and with a faint hope of closing that lead with seven games to go.

Chiefs have looked a better combination‚ with a future too‚ as the youngsters coach Steve Komphela has introduced this season have added something.

But Parker emphasised that the young players are likely to still need to step up a gear if Amakhosi are to win Komphela’s elusive first trophy‚ and probably save the coach’s job‚ this season.

“I would like to see the youngsters coming through more. The youngsters have to show up.

"They have to mature now in their game‚ and show up and help us‚” Parker said on Thursday.

“Us senior guys‚ we’ve won things‚ we just want to share our experience with the young boys – to help us‚ to help the team‚ so that we can achieve more.

“So far there have been glimpses that one or two youngsters are showing.

“And we’d like to see more from them.

"And also‚ more from them will help bring the best from the senior guys.”

Chiefs beat Lamontville Golden Arrows 3-0 in the Nedbank last-32.

Stellenbosch‚ currently placed ninth place in the National First Division‚ beat NFD leaders Highlands Park 1-0.