Fans eager for Downs set-up to succeed

The feeling is that Sundowns management should have stuck with one man and then appoint others as his assistants

Anew era begins for two of the country ’ s big clubs this weekend when Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns clash in the MTN Cup against Maritzburg United and Bloemfontein Celtic respectively.

The outcome will have far-reaching implications for the coaches as they negotiate a new path following mixed fortunes in the previous season.

Chiefs are relying on multiple titlewinning Gavin Hunt to revive their fortunes and start the trophy collection after a silverware drought. But Hunt has his hands tied as he waves the magic wand while using the same players who failed dismally under his predecessor Ernst Middendorp in the previous season.

Many Chiefs legends also blame the players for letting Sundowns pip the club to a league title last season, which led to Middendorp’s dismissal.

With Chiefs banned from signing players due to their dispute over Andriamirado Andrianarimanana from Fosa in Madagascar, Hunt has inherited the same playing personnel.

Chiefs are waiting for their appeal to the court of arbitration for sport to know their fate in the transfer market.

Hunt watched with envy as clubs pounced on his former Bidvest Wits players after the club sold its status to Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila.

Probably most of the players who had been guided by Hunt would have followed him to Chiefs, to boost his chances of bringing silverware to Naturena.

But hard-toplease fans will demand nothing short of a victory against Maritzburg United to justify their confidence in the reputable coach. Elsewhere at Chloorkop, Manqoba Mngqithi and Rulani Mokwena will be in the spotlight as Celtic test their dual coaching ability.

Appointing Mngqithi and Mokwena as joint coaches had already got flak from fans but the situation has been compounded by adding Steve Komphela to the coaching set-up.

Sundowns management was at pains to explain Komphela’s role on the technical staff, but this did not stop fans from taking a jibe at the situation, describing the trio as joint coaches.

The feeling is that Sundowns management should have stuck with one man and then appoint others as his assistants instead of this confusing scenario. Mngqithi and Mokwena may have joked about it at a press conference this week but if the results are not forthcoming, it will not be a laughing matter.

Filling the big shoes of Pitso Mosimane would have made even Jose Mourinho nervous. Mngqithi has stopped short of making excuses even before the clash, when he noted that the MTN Cup was one trophy that had eluded Sundowns for 13 years.

We wish them long term success but fans will demand this immediately.