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Amakhosi’s lack of transfer business could help the team find more consistency as it appears to be doing better than last season.
The pending ban on the transfer of Kaizer Chiefs to FIFA may not necessarily be a bad thing. In fact, it could prove to be their trump card as the Soweto giants seek to end a half-decade wait for silverware.
That is assuming that Amakhosi’s ban on making new acquisitions is upheld for one more transfer window and that the club is unsuccessful on its pending appeal. The problem dates back to when the Chiefs brought in Andriamirado ‘Dax’ Andrianarimanana from Madagascar.
This is indeed the approach that incoming coach Gavin Hunt is taking:
“I only work on the basis that [the appeal] it is not opening up, let’s work with what we have and try to make it better and harder to beat, and also win games, “he told the media this week.
The top three of last season in the league saw Mamelodi Sundowns edging out the Chiefs for the title with the Orlando Pirates in third place.
Given that Bidvest Wits are no longer around, it is the only really SuperSport United and possibly Cape Town who look like potential contenders to compete for the top three, and it is debatable whether any of those clubs have strengthened enough ahead of the new season of the league.
The Covid-19 factor is also expected to further affect the ‘smaller’ clubs, those without the backing of sponsorship from the big three.
It’s hard not to see that this is a fight between the historic giants of South African soccer, all of whom have great firepower and team depth.
The Brazilians, who start their lives without the legendary coach Pitso Mosimane, have a new technical team configuration and have also entered the transfer market a lot, incorporating players such as Khuliso Mudau (Black Leopards), Kermit Erasmus (Cape Town). ). , Aubrey Modiba (SuperSport United), Jody February (Cape Umoya United), Grant Magerman (Ajax Cape Town), George Maluleka (Kaizer Chiefs), Ricardo Goss, Gift Motupa and Haashim Domingo (all Bidvest Wits), Luvuyo Phewa (Real Kings )), Lesedi Kapinga (black leopards), Peter Shalulile and Mothobi Mvala (both Highlands Park).
The problem and challenge of a bloated team were recently alluded to by former Sundowns midfielder Roger Feutmba.
The pirates have also signed a ton of new players including Richard Ofori (Maritzburg United), Wayde Jooste (Highlands Park), Thabang Monare, Thulani Hlatshwayo, Deon Hotto, Terrence Dzvukamanja (all Bidvest Wits) and Collins Makgaka (Baroka FC) . And this is after about 10 players signed last season.
The problem both Pirates and Sundowns could face is finding the right combinations and producing the kind of football with consistent fluidity that wins matches. It’s not just about finding the right game systems, but also about personalities and egos; Getting that balance right can take time and be the most challenging.
The bosses, on the other hand, if they don’t win their appeal against the transfer ban, they won’t be in trouble, as most of their players will have been together for a minimum of two seasons, and in many cases much longer.
That should make Hunt’s job a bit simpler. Hunt will have seen how close the Chiefs came to winning the title last season, and he will know that if he can fine-tune things a bit, he might as well add to the four league titles won in his managerial career.
A look at the Chiefs team shows that there is a lot of depth and a lot of options to work with with Hunt. The former SuperSport and Bidvest Wits mentor has already spoken enthusiastically about the youth on the team. Added to that are several experienced internationals. And in terms of firepower, Amakhosi has a lot of that in players like Samir Nurkovic, Leonardo Castro, Lebogang Manyama and Dumisani Zuma.
And considering Khama Billiat’s rather poor performance last season by his own high standards, it would be almost like having a new player if Hunt can bring out the best of the Zimbabwean.
With a quality team at his disposal, Hunt’s main challenge is more likely to be finding a way to galvanize his men to overcome the disappointment of losing the league title to the Sundowns on the final day of last season.
A valiant 2-1 win at MTN8 against Maritzburg United last weekend suggested he is on track to do just that.
That determination will now be tested even more severely when the Glamor Boys kick off their league campaign with Saturday afternoon’s showdown against none other than last season’s nemesis, Sundowns.
That match starts at 15:30 at the FNB Stadium
