Playing for Kaizer Chiefs is regarded as one of the toughest jobs in the Premier Soccer League due to the pressure it comes with, but new signing Thatayaone Ditlhokwe says it will be nothing he hasn’t faced before.

Ditlhokwe, 24, is one of the players who will join battling Amakhosi ahead of the new season from SuperSport United for the tough mission of bringing back glory days to the fallen Soweto giants.

Chiefs' lack of silverware for eight seasons takes the pressure to an extreme level for the players at Naturena. 

The trophy drought has brought the worst out of the Soweto giants' fickle supporters who recently had to be stopped by police from attacking coach Arthur Zwane.

Players have not been spared as they are often heavily criticised on social media.

Ditlhokwe believes being captain of the Botswana national team has prepared him to deal with any kind of football-related pressure.

“I have captained my national team at the age of 21 so I don’t think there’s any pressure that can [surpass] what I have been already through,” Ditlhokwe said during SuperSport’s 2022-23 awards ceremony on Monday. 

“It’s just a normal challenge that every player can face. There’s no player that can grow without challenges — you need to be tested.

“It’s a big test, I know but at the end of the day the same way I managed before is the same way I’m going to manage [at Chiefs].”

The centreback signed a precontract with Chiefs at the beginning of the year and was allowed to continue turning out for SuperSport, helping them to a third-place finish, for the remainder of his contract.

This bucks the trend where some clubs have banned players who agree to precontracts from playing.

“I think at the end of the day, you must remain professional regardless of what you have in front of you because they always say, 'Never burn the bridges',” Ditlhokwe said.

“The most important thing I took into consideration is that I was still at SuperSport and still had a running contract I had to honour until the end of it so that when I left the club I did so in peace.” 

SuperSport United 2022/23 season awards

• DStv Diski Challenge Top Goalscorer: Shandre Campbell
• Coach's Award: Gape Moralo
• DStv Diski Challenge Player of the Season: Shandre Campbell
• CEO's Award (Thomas Madigage Award): Thabo September and Roscoe Krieling
• Coach's Award: Innocent Mchunu
• Chairman’s Award: Gavin Hunt
• Young Player of the Year: Thapelo Maseko
• Top Goalscorer: Bradley Grobler
• Player’s Player of the Year: Grant Margeman
• Player of the Season: Thulani Hlatshwayo