Kaizer Chiefs can’t seem to find a winning formula and that’s been the case for too long. What’s the root of the problem?
Many managers, no tangible success
Since Stuart Baxter won Amakhosi’s last piece of silverware in 2015, the club has made 11 separate appointments. Steve Komphela, Patrick Mabedi, Giovanni Solinas, Ernst Middendorp, Gavin Hunt, Arthur Zwane, a return for Baxter, a return for Zwane, Molefi Ntseki, Cavin Johnson and now Nasreddine Nabi have all been at the helm. None have delivered league title success to the demanding fans at Naturena.
Nepotism in the house?
Bobby Motaung, Kaizer Motaung Jr and Jessica Motaung have been entrusted with cushy roles within the club by Dr Motaung Sr. Has Mr Motaung Jr achieved the objectives laid down to him as the sporting director of the Kaizer Chiefs football club? If the club isn’t meeting its objectives on the pitch, either those objectives must be modified or the finger of blame must be pointed at those in boardroom positions.
That theory was two years ago and fan sentiments haven’t changed.
The Manchester United case study
Since the legendary Sir Alex Ferguson left in 2013, United have hired and fired nine managers. David Moyes, Ryan Giggs (caretaker), Louis Van Gaal, Jose Mourinho, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Michael Carrick (caretaker), Ralf Rangnick (interim), Erik Ten Hag, Ruud van Nistelrooy (interim). None of them have won the league. Now, Ruben Amorim is the latest man in the hot seat and has the unenviable task of taking United back to the top. They’re currently 28 points adrift of leaders Liverpool and just 20 points ahead of rock-bottom Southampton. League glory in this decade feels like a pipe dream at this stage. Sound familiar?
In a parallel universe, Chiefs fans and United fans are in pretty much the same WhatsApp group.
How is Nasreddine Nabi doing?
Well, not great. Sure, the Glamour Boys have booked a place in the Nedbank Cup quarters and they’re still in the hunt to win that trophy. Failure to do so, however, would mean 10 years without silverware. That’s not Nabi’s fault at all, but have they improved under the Tunisian tactician? 17 points adrift of the leaders already after 17 matches and only three clean sheets in the Betway Premiership. Nabi’s major signings in his first window were defensive players so surely this tally of shutouts should be higher?
A poisoned chalice
Everything said before begs the question though; is the Kaizer Chiefs managerial role cursed? Would the great Pep Guardiola even be able to steer this side to glory? Is the problem deeper and higher up?
Points gap between Kaizer Chiefs and the eventual champions
- 2023-2024: 37 points (more than their total tally of 36)
- 2022-2023: 26 points
- 2021-2022: 18 points
- 2020-2021: 31 points
- 2019-2020: 2 points
- 2018-2019: 20 points
- 2017-2018: 12 points
- 2016-2017: 10 points
- 2015-2016: 25 points
- 2014-2015: N/a (Champions)
Do you think Chiefs will win the league title again in your lifetime?
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