Fiacre Ntwari has responded to criticism by insisting the problems at Kaizer Chiefs don’t start with the goalkeeping department.
Chiefs find themselves in eighth place on the Betway Premiership standings with two wins, one draw and two losses from their opening five games.
They also suffered a 4-0 Carling Knockout Cup quarter-final exit to Mamelodi Sundowns.
Ntwari joined Amakhosi from TS Galaxy this season and has played seven times in all competitions, conceding 11 goals, while maintaining one clean sheet.
New boss Nasreddine Nabi had looked to have started his tenure brightly with wins over Marumo Gallants and AmaZulu, but the team have failed to build on their early form.
When asked about the current issues at Naturena, the goalkeeper told The New Times: “It’s not about me being the problem, the issue is the team isn’t in a good place right now.
“We started the season well, but over the last three games, we haven’t performed as expected. This is a team with a passionate fan base, and the pressure to win every match is always there.”
The Rwandan international is, meanwhile, set for a potential spell on the sidelines after picking up an injury while playing in a 2-1 Africa Cup of Nations qualifying win over Nigeria on Monday.
On his recent form, the international shotstopper added: “It’s not a big deal. These things happen in football. You can’t win every match, and sometimes fans don’t handle that well. But that’s the reality of the sport. I believe things will improve in the coming days.
“Sometimes players are at fault, but the only way forward is to keep working hard. We’ll continue giving everything to ensure the team gets back on track.”