After three long, hard barren years under the tutelage of Steve Komphela, Kaizer Chiefs seem to have taken a huge step forward in their quest for success. It’s been a long time coming for South Africa’s biggest football team, but one gets the feeling that the glory days are nigh.
Last week, Amakhosi finally captured their “big fish”, announcing Khama Billiat from Mamelodi Sundowns, as well as Letlhogonolo Mirwa and Andriamirado Andrianarimanana, who, for commentators and writers’ sake, goes by the name ‘Dax’.
Those signings brought belief back into the Kaizer Chiefs camp, with the fans now believing that their beloved team can spur on a real title challenge next season.
It didn’t stop there for Amakhosi as they then announced Brilliant Khuzwayo’s replacement, concluding a deal for Namibian shot-stopper, Virgil Vries, who was recently released by Baroka FC.
Now, with one foreign spot open, our sources tell us that they’re still very much interested in bringing Talent Chiwapiwa to Naturena, with the Zimbabwean’s fee being the only obstacle between him and the Soweto giants.
Still, with all the great attacking players that have been acquired, Chiefs still need a head coach, with Stuart Baxter now the likeliest to take charge. It may sound hypocritical coming from me, who is totally against Baxter for the national team, but at Chiefs, things will be much different.
He already knows what it takes to master domestic football in Mzansi and has the capabilities of doing it at a big club. In his three-year spell at Amakhosi between 2012 and 2015, Baxter won two league titles, a Nedbank Cup trophy, as well as the MTN8.
The only concern would be the Englishman’s philosophy, which doesn’t tie up with what the fans want to see. Chiefs supporters have reiterated time and time again that they want to see their club attack teams, rather than sit back and catch their opponents on the break. It may not be the most popular choice of words to use, but Chiefs fans just want what is going on at Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.
Chiefs’ next scheduled fixture is a one-match pre-season tournament against Sundowns in the Shell Helix Cup. That will be a great test for players like Billiat and Leonardo Castro, who will come up against their former sides, while uBabes WeChampagne passes, Siphelele Ntshangase, will get a chance to shine with his new teammates.
It’s certainly exciting times for Kaizer Chiefs, who have been cooking up something big for a while. Now, you get the feeling that they have finally got it right, and not to use the old footballing cliché, but next season could be their year.
Written by Jesse Nagel