[ad_1]
The Soweto giants have struggled to recover from last season’s disappointment, winning just three of 14 games in the 2020/21 campaign
After what was largely a miserable 2020, everyone associated with the Kaizer Chiefs will desperately wait for a more prosperous 2021.
A year ago, on Christmas break 2019, the Chiefs looked well prepared to move on and win the league title in 2020, the year of their 50th anniversary.
A positive January followed when Amakhosi claimed 13 of the 15 available league points. February brought some decent results, including a 1-0 win over the Orlando Pirates. But then, after a 1-0 loss to AmaZulu on March 7, it all fell apart for the Glamor Boys.
After the five-month break due to the Covid-19 lockdown, Chiefs achieved just two wins in eight games and awarded the league title to Mamelodi Sundowns, following a 1-1 draw on the final day against Baroka FC for the team. from Soweto.
Since then it has been more or less downhill for the Chiefs, who replaced head coach Ernst Middendorp with Gavin Hunt, who has been unable to sign any new players due to the club’s transfer ban.
What went wrong?
The question to ask is how could a team that lost the league title by just two points last season be in such bad shape a few months later, especially considering they have the same roster as last year.
Of course, the absence of striker Samir Nurkovic through injury has been a major setback, but looking at Amakhosi’s team, they still have plenty of other options up front and they shouldn’t rely solely on the Serb.
When looking at the Chiefs’ games this period, one thing stands out in that despite their dismal results, the team has not been outclassed, with the exception of their 3-0 loss to Sundowns in the first league game of the League. Bell.
In fact, the opposite has been the case: In many of the games the Chiefs haven’t won, they have enjoyed the most scoring opportunities.
Tactics, formations and starting formations aside, two things have cost them a lot. Missed opportunities up front and reckless, unforced errors at the bottom line.
While this is partly due to lack of application in technique, it seems to be a mental problem more than anything.
Lack of trust. Nerves take over the players. Bad decision making. There is not enough mental toughness to play for the biggest club in South Africa.
These facets of the game can be the most difficult to train. But somehow, even if it means bringing in outside help from sports psychologists and similar professionals, or whatever it takes, Hunt needs to find a way to make sure his players’ minds are fresh, free from negative thoughts, and completely focused on the new. year.
It’s time to end the hangover of awarding the league title to the Sundowns in September.
And it’s time for some of the older players to lead by example and play their part in an improved 2021, starting with Tuesday night’s tough away draw in Angola in a Caf Champions first round second leg. League against Primeiro de Agosto (the first leg in Johannesburg ended 0-0).
While the national league title seems to be out of Amakhosi’s sight by now, there is no reason why he cannot compete in the remaining national cup competitions, the Telkom Knockout and the Nedbank Cup, while a hot streak in Africa would also increase confidence.
