As the search for a permanent successor to Molefi Ntseki continues at
Kaizer Chiefs, the Glamour Boys could be forced to return to the formula
of hiring foreign coaches that worked in the club’s successful years.
In the past, Amakhosi management, particularly chairman Dr. Kaizer
Motaung, was criticized for not having faith in local coaches. However, in
2015, Dr. Motaung relented and appointed Steve Komphela, but the coach
could not replicate the success of his predecessor, a foreign coach,
Stuart Baxter, and could not deliver any silverware in nearly three years
at the club.
The most successful eras of the Glamour Boys were achieved with foreign
coaches in charge and, in search of a new permanent coach, Chiefs could be
inclined to narrow their search to foreign coaches. Former Amakhosi
striker Robson Muchichwa believes foreign coaches carry a lot of weight
behind their words and are not controlled by anyone at the Naturena-based
side, hence they have been successful.
“Kaizer Chiefs have never done well with a local coach. I think the
demands they tend to differ, when a foreign coach comes in, he comes in
with a lot of weight and with a lot of saying, ‘This is what I want!’,”
Muchichwa said on Radio 2000’s Game On. “Hence I think with the local
coaches it’s not like that. The local coaches need to put a lot of weight
behind ‘This is what I want’ and demand as well,” he said.
“For me looking at history, it’s maybe that way (that players at Chiefs
respect foreign coaches more) or the foreign coaches are not being told by
someone to do things. For me, I think there was a bit of friendship in
employment (of coaches at Chiefs) and friendship doesn’t work, it has to
be on merit. That’s the other thing that destroys the club I think,” he
added.
Chiefs have been linked with the hiring of Mamelodi Sundowns assistant
coach Manqoba Mngqithi, and their links with South African legendary coach
Pitso Mosimane have continued, as revealed by the Siya crew. However, with
the exception of Mosimane, who is now an international coach, the failures
of local coaches such Ntseki and Arthur Zwane at Amakhosi recently could
force the club to revert back to what has worked for them in the past, by
hiring a foreign coach.
Foreign coaches linked with the Amakhosi job so far include former Wydad
Casablanca coach Sven Vandenbroeck, English coach Paul Smalley, and the
name of Tunisian coach Nasraddine Nabi, who had failed talks with Chiefs
in the off-season, as reported by the Siya crew, continues to be bandied
about.
