Kaizer Chiefs

It was a strange season for the AmaKhosi, with domestic failures counter-balanced by a run to the final of the CAF Champions league.

Despite a lacklustre domestic season, Kaizer Chiefs exceeded expectations in the CAF Champions League where they knocked out the likes of Wydad Casablanca before losing 3-0 to Al Ahly in the Final. With no continental football to worry about next season, the question is, can Stuart Baxter’s team bounce back from the disappointment and turn things around?

By Hosea Ramphekwa

The contrasting displays of Kaizer Chiefs last season left a bitter-sweet taste in the mouth for many rallying behind the men in black and gold. The season had all the ingredients of a club of big stature – controversy, inconsistencies, elements of surprise and questionable performances, as Amakhosi subjected their followers to a variety of emotions.

Anxiety, anger, panic, ecstasy, fear, relief and joy were all in the feast that Chiefs dished out in a season where they soared to greater heights in continental football, while enduring a barren campaign on the domestic front.

A disappointing season saw the AmaKhosi make a top eight finish through the eye of the needle on the last day of the season.

Many questions were raised about their performances on the pitch and in the boardroom, with things taking different turns. Were the players committed to the cause? Was it the right decision and time for Chiefs management to relieve Gavin Hunt of his duties as the club’s coach? Did Chiefs have the quality to compete domestically and continentally? These were some of the questions raised.

Though Chiefs were dismal throughout, it was their resurgence on the African continent, marked by their historic feat of reaching the CAF Champions League for the first time since the club’s inception in 1970, which served as redemption.

It doesn’t make sense

In domestic competitions – DStv Premiership, MTN8, Nedbank Cup – Chiefs battled to make the grade with below par performances.

However, it was in the CAF Champions League, where many expected them to struggle, that the men from Naturena made an indelible mark, shrugging off the challenges of the big boys on the continent to reach the final of the most prestigious club tournament in Africa.

Such is the showings of Chiefs that some are divided about whether to be proud or disappointed following their mixed fortunes. On the last day of the season, AmaKhosi had not yet confirmed their place in the top eight until Lebogang Manyama’s hat-trick ensured they amass maximum points against Golden Arrows, whom they beat 3-2 to breathe a sigh of relief as Chiefs qualified for the MTN8.

Despite their impressive performances in the CAF Champions League, former Chiefs captain Neil Tovey was scathing in his

assessment of displays. Tovey, who captained Chiefs to a number of trophies locally, questioned the attitude and commitment of the players.

“It disappoints me to see how the players have let down the team. They let down Kaizer Chiefs in their league performances. It’s beside me how the players can do that type of thing,” says Tovey, who feels Chiefs players were found wanting attitude-wise.

“It’s all about the attitude. The attitude doesn’t come with the coaches, the attitude comes from the players. It’s as simple as that. Those players have let Chiefs down, not the coach.”

The 2020-21 season was riddled with mediocrity from Chiefs who managed a measly 36 points following eight wins, 10 losses and 12 draws. After 28 league matches, Chiefs made Gavin Hunt walk the plank.

His assistant coaches, Arthur Zwane and Dillion Sheppard, took over the reins for the remainder of the season, where they qualified for the top eight and went all the way to the final of the Champions League.

“I’m flabbergasted to know how they can get beaten one week by a mid-table team in this league and the next thing they are playing in the Champions League, with all the top clubs in African football, and winning their games. I have got worse words than I have said but I think it’s a disgrace,” lambasts Tovey.

When defence was solid

Before reaching the final of Champions League, Chiefs had solid performances, conceding nine goals in 14 matches, of which Hunt was in charge of 12 in the continental tournament. In the DSTV Premiership, Amakhosi conceded 15 goals in 14 matches. Chiefs’ defence, marshalled by Daniel Cardoso and Mulomowandau Mathoho, was easily their key area en route to the continental final.

“The difference is that in the Champions League, Chiefs were very solid defensively,” says former Chiefs assistant coach Farouk Khan. “In the two-leg semi-final against Wydad Casablanca, they defended extremely well.

“Wydad had several chances, but [Chiefs goalkeeper] Bruce Bvuma gave a sterling performance, and so did the other keepers. If you look at the stats, you will see that it was quite one-sided as far as attack is concerned.

“Chiefs was not that effective but they scored the odd goal. Defensively, however, they were very solid. I think their tactics worked out. On another day, it could have been different had Wydad scored a goal.

“We should compliment Chiefs for managing to keep a clean sheet under difficult circumstances against one of the top teams. When they went to Tanzania against Simba, they lost 3-0. Had Simba scored another goal, it would have been different. Chiefs were very strong defensively for most of this competition.”

Khan’s sentiments were echoed by former Chiefs defender Tefu Mashamaite, who is of the view that Chiefs defence deserves a pat in the back.

“It’s true. I think one of the highest margins of goals they conceded was against the Tanzanian team. Other than that, they’ve managed to keep it to a minimum and that plays a big role in CAF with the away-goals rule. They have done well and it’s just a testimony of how hard they worked,” says Mashamaite.

For Tovey, it just doesn’t add up that Chiefs players would raise their game beyond the borders of the country while dishing out insipid displays at home.

“It doesn’t make sense. How can you defend well in CAF and not defend well in the league? If you defend, you defend. Everybody defends and everybody attacks. You do your job defensively. It doesn’t make sense to me,” says the man who lifted the Africa Cup of Nations trophy in 1996.

What worked for Chiefs

Prior to his departure, Hunt had presided over 12 of the 15 matches Chiefs played in the CAF Champions League. When Hunt got the sack after eight months in charge, he had qualified the club for the semifinals of the continental tournament.

Mashamaite feels the former SuperSport United and Bidvest Wits coach deserves a mention for Amakhosi’s exploits on the continent.

“First the experience of the coach. He has been going to compete in the Champions League a couple of times with Wits. I am sure that a progressive coach like him really sat down and assessed the situation and what was needed.

“I think somehow when they were out there traveling and playing against the rest of African teams, the pressure was less. People were more focused on the domestic scene that Chiefs needs to win cups.

“I feel like not everyone expected Chiefs to go all the way to the final. There was less pressure. There was less expectation,” opines Mashamaite.

Veteran campaigners Willard Katsande, Itumeleng Khune, Bernard Parker, Mathoho, and Cardoso provided leadership for Chiefs when it mattered the most in the tournament.

“The other thing is the contribution of the players. You have experienced players. Itumeleng has been to how many Bafana games, World Cup, this and that? Katsande, Parker, that experience and also upfront (Samir) Nurkovic. He is a physical player so

“THERE WAS LESS PRESSURE. THERE WAS LESS EXPECTATION.”

it was not going tto bbe a problem bl because b we know that African football it’s about physique, aggression.

“It’s about forcing your way through. Those players came to the party. They showed up,” says Mashamaite.

That Chiefs were banned by FIFA from signing players, following the Andriamirado ‘Dax’ Adrianarimanana saga, had a massive impact with how they performed. Tovey, Khan and Mashamaite sing from the same book on the matter. Tovey says Hunt, whose tenure coincided with the ban, was deprived of variety and options.

“Certain coaches like to play a certain way and he didn’t have the type of players available. They couldn’t carry out what he wanted them to do,” reckons Tovey.

While Chiefs had to make do with the players that they had, their local rivals Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns went on a shopping spree snapping up the cream of the crop.

“Every season, we see clubs signing players. Last season was no exception. Sundowns had how many players that ensured they had the right competition in

tithe club and that ensured they compete. The transfer ban had a huge impact last season. You could see when it mattered the most especially in the league where they were only limited to make certain substitutes. They couldn’t change the team as effectively as Gavin would have liked to,” suggests Khan. Mashamaite agrees.

“It was just a matter of balancing the squad. We know that the transfer ban affected them negatively because Gavin was not free to shop for his own material, so he was w forced to work with what he e found, the ones he was gi ven.

“We have to give credit to hi m for laying the foundation foor the team to reach this final st age of CAF. It’s down to his haard work. Credit to Arthur and D illon Sheppard, who took over whenw Gavin left. They made suure that they kept the ship st eady,” says the former Bidvest WitsW captain.

The T future

The end of the transfer ban, th he CAF Champions League ad dventure and the return of St tuart Baxter, who ironically was w the coach the last time Chiefs Ch won a trophy during the 2014/15 season, could signal the beginning of a resurgence for the Glamour Boys.

Baxter won the two league championships, the MTN8 and the Nedbank Cup in his first spell in charge. All eyes will be on him to work wonders for a club desperately hankering for the Holy Grail.

“Obviously Baxter has been there before. He understands the club, which should be good. He is still going to need a whole lot of new players, without a doubt. You are not going to achieve the miracles you did before with the same group of players that he has now,” cautions Tovey.

“They definitely need new players. They need to freshen the whole team. I think they will be able to find players.”

Though Chiefs are set to flex their muscles in the transfer market, Mashamaite says the club shouldn’t be in a hurry to phase out the experienced players, whom he feels still have a role to play in their quest for success.

“There’s always a need for leadership and that leadership doesn’t necessarily need to come from the coach himself. There has got to be soldiers on the field who are going to translate the messages from the coach.

“I feel like those veterans will be able to help Baxter to inculcate whatever principles he is going to need his team to be based on. They are very important, especially to someone like Baxter who believes in a mixture of experience and young blood,” says Mashamaite, who was one of Baxter’s leaders at Chiefs.

For Chiefs to reclaim the glory days won’t be a walk in the park. They will have to contend with sides that have built strong teams. Mamelodi Sundowns, backed by billionaire owner Patrice Motsepe’s financial muscles, have recently led in the market and on the pitch.

“A very critical aspect of what they have learnt was that they need to ensure there is consistency in whatever they do. That as a leading brand in football, people always expect a lot from them and rightfully so. A lot is expected from those that are given the opportunity at clubs like Chiefs and other bigger teams,” says Khan, a former youth coach at Chiefs.

“They always have to show that there is consistency and they also have to show that there’s continuity. They have to make sure that they don’t become one or two season wonders.

“They have to make sure that they build for the long-term, similarly to what you have seen Sundowns do. Whether you like Sundowns or not, you have to admire what they have done in the past nine years, from that time when Pitso Mosimane came.

“Things were not very good at first, they [fans] wanted to get rid of him but they persevered. I think it is really admirable because once he turned the corner, Sundowns became a giant.

“That’s a very good example for all our PSL teams that consistency and continuity is very important to ensure that you build a brand that will always be able to compete at the highest level to keep the fans, sponsors and everybody happy.”

If anything, Chiefs reaching the CAF Champions League final, a return to the market and Baxter’s comeback are going to increase the levels of expectations and pressure.

“The Champions League run will also affect how Chiefs players perform next season since fatigue is likely to creep in. It remains to be seen if Amakhosi can rise and ride on the wave of their new-found inspiration from the winds blowing from all around the continent.”

“THEY COULDN’T CARRY OUT WHAT HE WANTED THEM TO DO.”