Amakhosi head coach, Molefi Ntseki, has all to prove even before playing his first official match after his appointment as Kaizer Chiefs coach, taking over from coach Arthur Zwane with immediate effect. It is an open secret that the former Bafana Bafana coach was not the Naturena-based club's first choice and that circumstances beyond their control forced them to make that call.
He may not be completely new to South African football, but he already knows that the odds are heavily stacked against him because, once again, he was not the favourite to take charge of the Glamour Boys. It is well-documented history that there were more experienced coaches who were linked with the Chiefs coaching job and that Ntseki was appointed as a reaction to the team's failure to land one of the two 'big fish' they had earmarked for the job. The mixed reactions to the appointment say it all. The lukewarm reception he's been getting, if social media posts are anything to go by, is a clear indication that coach Ntseki was the least favourite. How-ever, this could just be what coach Ntseki needs as a motivation to tackle the massive task ahead, to prove himself to the naysayers and get the job done.
We don't seem to learn from previous mistakes. If we do learn, we take forever to implement the learnings. Remember the last off-season when Orlando Pirates announced the then unknown Jose Riveiro as their head coach? Remember how quickly that announcement was questioned with almost everyone assuming that Dr Irvin Khoza had lost his mind by appointing such a young, inexperienced and un-known 'plumber' to take charge of his team? This was the Spaniard's very first time not just in South Africa but on the African continent. It is now history that coach Riveiro has become a darling of South African football supporters, not just his own team's supporters but everyone, because he's brought a breath of fresh air to our Beautiful Game.
His demeaner has won so many hearts and his results are there for everyone to see and he no longer gets any 'plumber' related remarks even on social media because he's proved himself and set the tone at Pirates. With the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup in the bag, while finishing second in the league, in his first season in charge, the man has delivered against the odds. Maybe, just maybe, going as an underdog and the least favourite coach to lead Chiefs is exactly what coach Ntseki needs to prove a point. Surely he will look at what Riveiro had to put up with and his results to find solace and know that he can also make history at Naturena. Unlike Riveiro, this is not Ntseki's first season and baptism of fire in the DStv Premiership, the man has been part of the Chiefs set-up and will know all there is to know about managing that team, having worked closely with coach Zwane as part of the supporting structure.
He is also not new to South African football and would have seen how Mangethe managed the team and he would have identified where things could have been done better and what changes should have been made during that time. So, coach Ntseki walks into this new role better prepared than Riveiro and that means chances of him succeeding are even higher. Don't be surprised to find Chiefs firing on all cylinders under their new coach this coming season, when they will be sporting a new kit and turning back the hands of time in their Kappa gear. We all know what an in-form Chiefs does to South African football, therefore we have every right to be excited about the new season's prospects.
Once again, this is someone who was part of Amakhosi's technical team and will have first-hand experience of everything that happened behind the scenes, in the bigger scheme of things. As much as coach Ntseki has it all to prove and all eyes will be on him, he comes with a better view of the lay of the land and that should work to his advantage. He's not completely new to the coaching space just as he is not new to the Soweto giants because he's been around the block and knows all there is to know about that team. With the buy-in from both Mangethe and Dillon Sheppard who will be assisting him, especially Mangethe who was literally demoted, Ntseki can really get the job done at Chiefs. The two assistants' experience from last season will be vitally important as long as there are no politics and personal issues and egos at play.
Yes, it is easier said than done, but looking at the signings Chiefs made and the team they have, provided they experience no major injuries and they are on a roll, things might just turn out great for the most-supported team in the country. Their eight-year trophy drought could just become a thing of the past this season, under a least preferred coach. They might just become a team to watch this season and surprise a lot of people because of the hunger they've experienced over the years and the technical team's point to prove. The new signings will also be looking to make an impact, unlike those who came before them. There have been so many new signings made by the club and who failed to live up to expectations over the years. So many new faces and very little to show for it over the years, as Lebogang Manyama mentioned in his interview last week, and this could just be the season when Amakhosi finally get it right, with a local coach in charge nogal!
If there is one group of players that one feels can make a difference at Chiefs, it has to be the team they have assembled so far because they seem to have ticked all the boxes and done their homework. We all know that new signings don't always mirror the expectations, but only time will tell if things will be different this time around. Coach Ntseki and his team have it all to prove and here's to wishing him all the best in proving the naysayers wrong and creating his own history in the Gold and Black jersey, in his very first head coaching gig in the DStv Premiership. It won't be easy, but it is certainly possible. Chiefs have been uncharacteristically poor over the last seasons and maybe all they needed was someone linked to the Motaung's bloodline to take charge of the team and they couldn't find anyone better than coach Ntseki to get the job done.
Maybe this will be the coach who gets them to play the brand of football associated with the team, while getting the results. The millions of Amakhosi faithful deserve far better than they've been treated to by their club. They've always done their part by supporting their team through thick and thin, the least they expect is for things to change on the field of play. Coach Ntseki could just turn out to be the much-needed turning point at the club and surprise all and sundry. It has been a long wait for the supporters and to think that an eight-year-old has never seen Chiefs lift a trophy live is a serious concern. Surely this team can't continue to live on 'In my time'! Maybe coach Ntseki will be the one to turn things around as he's the closest to the Motaung's bloodline. Let's wait and see what happens.
All the best, coach!
Cheers,
VeeJay
