Motaungs told Kaizer Chiefs need 'special' and 'exclusive' talent to handle the pressure 'on the streets and in shopping centres'

Kaizer Chiefs have been struggling to get it right in transfers, initially bringing players who struggle to make an impact on the pitch.

However, it seems their scouting department did well especially in the last two transfer windows where most of the new signings have made an impact.

Glody Lilepo, Gaston Sirino, Bradley Cross, Rushwin Dortley, Thabiso Monyane, Flavio Silva, Khanyisa Mayo, and Inacio Miguel are just some of the players who have made an immediate impact for the club. Others are doing quite well, but the likes of Ethan Chislett and Nkanyiso Shinga are still yearning for their competitive debut.

The depth in the squad has also made it easier for co-coaches Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze to seamlessly rotate the players.

Former Amakhosi winger Joseph Molangoane has now stated it was tough for the club to get the right players since pitch performances didn't reflect the real picture of the individual as well as character in terms of managing the pressure of playing for the team.

"You know, problem ukuthi, everyone wants to play for Chiefs, so when players come up against Chiefs, they display their A game,” he told FARPost.

“They make sure. And then they sign him at Chiefs only to find that they left behind their best quality on that day they played against them.

“This makes things difficult for management and everyone else. It is a big team, and there is so much pressure,” he continued.

“The pressure at Chiefs is so massive. The size of the fanbase is not the same. You can play for Sundowns, and people still won’t recognise you in the streets; they can just walk past you. But for Chiefs, it is a different story. You experience the pressure on the streets and in shopping centres. It becomes difficult.

"Chiefs need an exclusive talent. You have to be exclusive. You have to be special," Molangoane concluded. 

The Glamour Boys have been doing quite well in the Premier Soccer League season and moderately in the CAF Confederation Cup.

In the 11 league outings, they have secured six wins, four draws and a single defeat which have seen them collect 22 points. Interestingly, they have the joint second-best defence that has conceded just six goals, the same as the defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns who have played a game more.

Leaders Orlando Pirates have the best rear-guard that has conceded just five in the 12 South African top-tier assignments in the ongoing campaign.

In the CAF Confederation Cup, Chiefs did well to get into the group stage phase where they were pooled alongside the 2023/24 champions Zamalek SC, Zesco United and Al Masry.

The Soweto giants ended their decade-long drought last season with a Nedbank Cup win and will be aiming at successfully defending the trophy.

Well, they might not win the PSL, but after a good start, they should fancy their chances of going all the way. Furthermore, getting out of the CAF Confederation Cup group stage will be an achievement for the Soweto giants especially after the initial struggles. 

"It will not be easy though as explained by Kaizer Motaung Jr. who is the team's Sporting Director, "We have jam-packed fixtures coming up from January since the AFCON is coming and the World Cup next year. I think the period when we come back in January will be the true test of where we are. So, it is very much keeping our heads on the ground and making sure that we stay focused," he told the media. 

"We have done very well in terms of one area, which is reducing the number of goals that we concede, but now we need to make sure we convert our chances. It is a work in progress.

"I think the technical staff in the first team, coach Khalil, and coach Cedric are working very hard together with the analysis team. There is a lot more understanding. I know that we had a result that we didn’t want this past weekend, but we are very focused,  and this is a work in progress, and everyone is working. We will talk at the end of May," he concluded.