Kaizer Chiefs' coaching search has been a period of trial and error for the last eight years. This has also coincided with the club's lack of silverware, which has carried on for the same period. Seven coaches, in Steve Komphela, Giovanni Solinas, Ernst Middendorp, Gavin Hunt, Stuart Baxter, Arthur Zwane and Molefi Ntseki, have come and gone with little to no success, much to the displeasure of the club's ardent fans who have displayed their dissatisfaction with the results, something that the League has punished the Naturena-based side for. With Cavin Johnson serving on an interim basis, Amakhosi have begun searching for a permanent replacement for the latest man to get the chop, Ntseki, and the Siya crew has been informed that the club's hierarchy has not been short of resumes with a number of agents, both locally and abroad, putting their clients forward as potential candidates. However, Siya sources close to happenings at Naturena have suggest that the club's top brass have set down the marker for the criteria of their next coach.
What The Siya Crew Has Been Told…
All eyes are on Kaizer Chiefs management with regards to the club's next coaching appointment. Seven coaches in eight years paints a gloomy picture for one of the country's biggest clubs, renowned for winning cups. Instead of silverware, the club's trophy cabinet has been gathering dust with Stuart Baxter's 2014/15 league title the last to grace the Glamour Boys' bulging cabinet.
Something needs to change. Last month, Soccer Laduma broke the news that Molefi Ntseki would be leaving the club after just four months in charge, which the club later confirmed. The Soweto giants, as they did with their previous appointment, announced a temporary measure put in place to steady the ship in the form of the experienced Cavin Johnson. But the search for a permanent coach is far from over with the club narrowing down their criteria.
The Siya crew has since been informed by well-placed sources that the club's top brass have prioritised a 'high-profile' coach that can restore the club's glory days. The source further explained that the said coach, in addition to delivering consistent results, would have to command the team both on and off the field with a personality that matches that of the Naturena outfit.
More importantly, the coach would have to appease the club's fans, who play a crucial role in deciding who occupies the hot seat. Chiefs' latest demands do come with a few challenges, which are:
1. 'High-profile' coaches, by their very nature, are hardly available. These are often coaches, most of whom are comfortable in their current clubs, that are tied up in contracts, thus narrowing down Amakhosi's list of possible candidates.
2. It may come at a cost to the Soweto giants. While high-profile mentors often bring success to a club, they seldom come cheap! The more accolades a coach adds to his profile, the more expensive he becomes. In addition to the hefty salaries demanded by these coaches, because most of them are tied up in contracts, it means that Amakhosi would more than likely have to negotiate a transfer fee for a coach that is currently under contract.
3. Would a big name be enough? The club has brought in Ernst Middendorp, Gavin Hunt and Baxter, all of whom were been deemed high-profile coaches. However, as is evident, this did not work out for Chiefs with all three leaving within a year of being employed by the club.
Although a high-profile coach is something that the club has prioritised, they will be mindful of additional elements around the coach, such as the right technical team, as these coaches often come with their own backroom staff and, more importantly, furnishing the coach with quality players that are capable of competing for honours. So far, Micho Sredojevic, Nasreddine Nabi, Manqoba Mngqithi, Pitso Mosimane, Mano Menezes, Muhsin Ertugral, Herve Renard, Raul Caneda and Luc Eymael have all been linked to the job. A second independent source has informed this publication that Chiefs have already started sounding out potential candidates with informal talks.
Of the coaches that have been linked with the club, management are understood to have had informal talks with the camps of both Nabi as well as Mngqithi, both of whom fall within the club's criteria of 'high-profile' coaches. Amakhosi are understood to have engaged Mngqithi prior to the start of the 2023/24 season. At the time, the coach's contract with Mamelodi Sundowns was set to expire.
However, as is the norm at the Brazilians, in May the club opted to exercise the option on his deal for a further year, keeping him at Chloorkop until at least 2024.
The 52-year-old is fast approaching the final six months of his contract with the side and, according to Siya sources, would be open to making the move to Naturena if the offer is right. Similarly, the Soweto giants, as reported by Soccer Laduma, were in talks with Nabi's camp over possibly making the move to the Village.
However, despite the coach turning down a new and improved deal from Young Africans in favour of Mzansi's most-supported side, talks between the two parties stalled, which saw the club turn to Ntseki, while Nabi penned a two-year deal with Morocco's AS FAR.
What Are The Facts?
The fans' first choice appears to be coach Pitso Mosimane, who has voiced his opinion on possibly joining Amakhosi. Mosimane is a serial winner, having proven this at every club he has coached at and Chiefs at this moment would be the ideal fit for one of Africa's most successful coaches. But would he be open to coming back to South Africa?
For the past three years, Mosimane has spent his time in Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to not only grow his global footprint but to prove his worth all over the world. He is currently under contract with Al Wahda, meaning that the Soweto giants would have to negotiate a fee with the UAE club if they are to land his signature.
Chiefs haven't had much success under local coaches in the last eight years and if there's anyone who can change this concerning trend, it is the man affectionately known as 'Jingles'. History, meanwhile, suggests that the Glamour Boys are most successful when being coached by a foreigner. Probably the most successful coach for them was the late Ted Dumitru, who won four trophies in the two seasons he was at Naturena. The Romanian won back-to-back league titles and consecutive Coca Cola Cup titles.
A man who led Chiefs through Operation Vat Alles, Ertugral, is also right up there with the most successful coaches in the PSL era for the Soweto giants. Amakhosi's only continental title, the Mandela Cup in 2001, was secured by the Turk. He won four other knockout competitions with the club. Under Ertugral, they won everything but the league title. In his second spell with the club, he won the 2008 MTN8.
Money is one of the biggest factors
A catalyst in ensuring that they land a top coach is that the Soweto will have to break the bank. Money, as is evident, has the power to buy success and top coaches who deliver silverware will not come cheap.
According to Siya sources, Chiefs' coaches in recent years have been well compensated, though the club lags behind when it comes to their more fancied counterparts on the African continent.
The Naturena-based side, historically, have been known to pay their coaches an annual salary in the region of ±R10 million a year. However, if they were to land someone like Mosimane, they would have to significantly increase this amount, with the coach understood to be earning in the region of R15 million to R20 million a year.
Although Amakhosi are known for their deep pockets, the last few seasons have been challenging for them to balance the books and a new coach with hefty salary demands could throw a spanner in the works!
Does Chiefs squad have enough depth?
In terms of numbers, the team has a fairly decent squad compared to their counterparts Sundowns and Orlando Pirates. For the 2023/24 season, they have a 34-man squad compared to the Brazilians' 40 and Bucs' 35-man squads.
While there are similarities between the three teams in terms of quantity, there is a significant difference in quality and effectiveness. Amakhosi's 34-man squad consists of only three regular international players in Thatayaone Ditlhokwe (Botswana), Edson Castillo (Venezuela) and Edmilson Dove (Mozambique). There are a number of players like Sibongiseni Mthethwa, Ashley Du Preez, Given Msimango, Sifiso Hlanti, Siyethemba Sithebe, Pule Mmodi and Yusuf Maart that have been in and out of Hugo Broos' Bafana Bafana squad, though none of them have been able to command a starting berth.
This is in stark comparison to Downs, who, in addition to seven Bafana regulars, also have Brian Onyango (Kenya), Peter Shalulile (Namibia) and Abubeker Nassir (Ethiopia) as regular fixtures in their national teams. Similarly, Pirates have seven Mzansi national team regulars as well as Richard Ofori (Ghana), Deon Hotto (Namibia) and Souaibou Marou (Cameroon), who feature prominently for their national team.
The best coaches will need the best players. This could possibly see Chiefs having to delve into the transfer market once again to strengthen their squad at the end of the season.
Family politics to continue to play a part?
What has been evident with Chiefs in recent years has been the divide between the Motaung siblings, particularly when it comes to the club's football matters. While the club's youth and marketing departments continue to thrive, it is around the first team matters where Kaizer Motaung Jr, Bobby Motaung, Kemiso Motaung and Jessica Motaung don't always see eye-to-eye.
The Siya crew has reported on the underlying tension that has crept into the Chiefs corridors on two fronts: the recruitment of players and the appointment of coaches.
It has been trial and error on both fronts for the better part of the last eight years and if the Soweto giants are to get back to their glory days, there would need to be synergy from the club's top brass in appointing the correct coach and providing him with sufficient support to carry out his duties without any interruptions.
The Story Behind The scenes
What is clear is that the club hierarchy are not resting on their laurels when it comes to their new coach. They are aware that change is needed and have started putting their plans into action to address this.
As confirmed by Siya sources, the club has already began informal talks with a number of possible candidates, although they would have to tick all the boxes in order to get the right coach.
What is clear is that Amakhosi would have to find the right candidate who is available, has the right credentials, is able to win games and is able to create a rapport with the club's fans.
In order to achieve this, they would most likely have to stretch what they are accustomed to in terms of remuneration. The Soweto giants would also have to significantly strengthen their team and equip the incoming coach to compete with the likes of Pirates and Sundowns, who have been dominating the domestic cup scene in recent years.
When bringing in a high-profile coach, there needs to be clear targets set with minimal interference and maximum support from management if the club are to overturn their fortunes from the last eight years.
Watch This Space
Having had mixed fortunes with their last seven coaching appointments, you can expect Amakhosi to bide their time before deciding on their next coach. Unlike in recent times, the club will not be looking for a 'quick fix' or a cheaper option, but will rather ensure that the coach is someone that resonates with the team.
Should a top European coach become available, you can expect Chiefs to give it serious consideration, as history suggests they have been most successful with a foreigner at the helm.
In Mzansi, Mosimane appears to be the most viable option from a supporters' perspective, but it will all depend on what the Soweto giants decide. Will they approach 'Jingles', who is currently under contract, and do they see the three-time CAF Champions League winner as the right fit?
