Dillon Sheppard says he’s delighted with the opportunity afforded to him by Kaizer Chiefs after being named assistant coach to Arthur Zwane at the DStv Premiership club.
Sheppard and Zwane were put in temporary charge of the side, and not for the first time, following the sacking of Stuart Baxter during the recently completed season.
While in the past, the duo were overlooked for the top two coaching jobs at the club, they have now been rewarded for their years of service, and Sheppard expects plenty of criticism to come with the job.
The 43-year-old said on KickOff: “There is always going to be a lot of negativities when we speak about building our own. I think it is time that local coaches get their opportunity.
“Yes, it is huge coaching at the big clubs, but this is what we have been prepared for. We have come through youth development and now got the opportunity.
“Yes, there will be noise out there of people underestimating us. The most important thing is the planning, and this is something that has been put into place.
“We have the opportunity to prove now that we are good enough to be where we are. There are going to be bumps along the way and that is normal but as long as we put the right structure in place and with the right planning then I think moving forward will be a lot easier.
“We are going to be criticised and that is normal. We got to have a shield and be a bit stronger and stick to our beliefs because that is going to be important.”