Chiefs left me with my tail between my legs

I’m sure you guessed it by reading the headline that this thought piece would not lash out at Kaizer Chiefs, but instead I am walking with my tail in between my legs as Amakhosi seem to be proving me and their doubters wrong.

For those who might have missed last week’s column, allow me to fill you in.

So, I penned how the Phefeni Glamour Boys are horrible under Gavin Hunt’s style of play and suggested they should revert to the Ernst Middendorp way of playing considering almost everything that Hunt tried before last week’s condemnation was doing nothing but digging Chiefs’ grave.

Clearly I was wrong, at least if the past three Amakhosi results are anything to go by.

Admit it, at some point in time in your life, you’ve raised a false alarm and got proven wrong in one way or another.

Anyway, back to Chiefs, the reality of the matter is they have been doing well of late in the DStv Premiership and believe it or not, they were mentioned a lot in sentences that had the word “relegation” in them, but today, they are sitting in the top half of the table.

It is quite remarkable what three wins on the spin can do for you, right?

The Glamour Boys’ first of three consecutive wins came in a visit to KwaZulu-Natal where they downed AmaZulu 1-0, while Cape Town City lost 2-1 and Tshakhuma took the biggest hiding in a 3-0 loss.

In any family, the young ones are trusted to continue the family line as they are one day expected to lead households.

Such is the manner in which youngsters Happy Mashiane and Njabulo Ngcobo are going about their business at Chiefs.

They are proving to be reliable and capable heirs to the throne as the likes of Bernard Parker, Itumeleng Khune and Willard Katsande, just to name a few, are way past their best days.

These kids are certainly stepping up and raising their hands at a time when the team needs them the most.

One only hopes that whatever Hunt whispered in the ear of veteran defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Daniel Cardozo, Anthony Agay and Philani Zulu, he could also whisper to the out-offavour Siphelele Ntshangase.

Those words did inspire and motivate them to play much better than they did since Hunt took over the reins from Middendorp.

Ntshangase, you see, if well managed and treated with due care, could easily be what Xavi was to the Barcelona of the Pep Guardiola era, what Paul Scholes was to Manchester United and what Andrea Pirlo was for Juventus and Italy.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not saying “Stash” should be compared with these legends, but his talent suggests that he has the potential to be the kingpin in any midfield if he is allowed to play to his strengths and given all the support.

But still, he needs to learn how to adjust and play according to the coach’s demands, or else he is very likely to continue to cheer on from the stands, or from the bench, if he is lucky.