Former Mamelodi Sundowns striker Katlego Mphela insists Kaizer Chiefs must replace Itumeleng Khune to end struggle - 'Leadership is not enough at Amakhosi'

To end their current struggle, Kaizer Chiefs must replace ex-goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune with an equal or better signing, former Mamelodi Sundowns striker Katlego Mphela has said.

Mphela said that the current problems witnessed at Amakhosi can be attributed to a lack of leadership, which he believes Khune, who served Chiefs for two decades, provided.

Apart from signing an able Khune replacement, Mphela urged Chiefs to end inconsistency in order to finish the season in the top four.

“I also think the leadership is not enough at Kaizer Chiefs,” Mphela told iDiski Times.

“When you have someone like [Itumeleng] Khune that leaves the club, a big personality, an important member of the squad, you need to replace him with the same quality or someone who’s going to step in and have those leadership qualities.

“So, for them, I think that’s a problem, but they need to push this season and see where they end up," he added.

“But obviously they’ll want to be in the top four, so hopefully, they get there, but with the inconsistency, I don’t see them even reaching the top four," Mphela concluded.

Khune was a towering figure within the Chiefs ranks and won various trophies, including the Premier Soccer League titles, Nedbank Cup, and even MTN8.

In a bid to fill the void left by Khune, Amakhosi signed Rwandan international Fiacre Ntwari from TS Galaxy in July last year. Ntwari's arrival added to Bruce Bvuma's and Brandon Petersen's presence at the club.

This season, although they struggle in PSL, they have a realistic chance of winning a trophy given that they are in the Nedbank Cup semis.

Chiefs will return to action on March 30 as a match against Golden Arrows has been lined up for them.

Amakhosi fans will be keen to see whether head coach Nasreddine Nabi will maintain Bvuma in goal after conceding two goals against struggling Richards Bay.