Zwane concedes top-eight finish not good enough
DESPITE a frustrating season, Kaizer Chiefs did finish their campaign with some pride as they recorded two successive wins that earned them an eighth-place finish.
After a season of calamities, Chiefs ended by showing mental resolve as they beat a high-flying Golden Arrows before concluding the season with victory against TS Galaxy in a do-ordie battle which determined which of the duo would finish in the top eight.
Speaking after Saturday’s game against Galaxy, caretaker co-coach Arthur Zwane conceded that his team should never have been just targeting a top-eight finish.
“We were aware that it would be a tough season and we could not bring in new players while we had to contend with injuries and suspensions,” Zwane said.
“Even when results were good at the start of the season, we knew that we would face a challenge to keep a positive spirit and all players refreshed physically. We were battling and struggling in the middle of the season.
“A club of Chiefs’ calibre should never just be aiming for a top-eight position and we should not be happy with this. We should only be happy when we win league titles.”
While the 2020-21 season is officially over for most of the clubs in the Premiership, that is not the case for Chiefs and PSL relegation/promotion playoff bound Chippa United.
Chiefs will be hoping that their late season resurgence can inspire them ahead of their Caf Champions League semi-final first leg against Wydad AC at FNB Stadium in three weeks’ time.
It will be vital for AmaKhosi to get a positive result from the home leg ahead of a tough second leg where they will have to travel to Morocco.
Chiefs interim co-coaches Dillon Sheppard and Zwane can also take credit from the fact that the club has a 100% record in the matches that they have been in charge of following the sacking of Gavin Hunt last month.
Regardless of how Chiefs finish the season, they do have plenty of hard work to do during the off-season.
The club will have to make wholesale changes ahead of the new campaign as it was quite evident that their current side was simply not good enough to challenge Mamelodi Sundowns for the championship.
It also remains to be seen who will be their new coach, though former mentor Stuart Baxter is currently the favourite to succeed Hunt.