Arthur Zwane,coach of Kaizer Chiefs has had a lukewarm start to head tenure as the teams official head coach. Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
Johannesburg - Being a Kaizer Chiefs fan must be nice. The club spoils you rotten, signing almost everyone you like, until you decide to throw the toys out of the cot.
The appointment of Arthur Zwane as Chiefs coach was endorsed by the fans as they backed the club legend to restore their culture and winning identity.
But the 48-year-old is yet to complete 10 matches in charge of the team and already there’s a group of supporters who are calling for his head. Shambolic!
Chiefs have endured a lukewarm start, having won two games, drawn two and lost three. But such is the competition this season, everyone is beatable.
Rivals Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns have both lost twice so far, while the trio are still in line to win the MTN8 after reaching the semi-finals.
Surprisingly, there’s hardly been noise from Pirates and Sundowns to sack their coaches, despite their fans barely having a say on their transfer policies.
Chiefs’ fans, meanwhile, have had a say on the club’s new arrivals, who were expected to fit into Zwane’s philosophy and his plan to rebuild the team.
Ashely du Preez (25), Kamohelo Mahlatsi (24) and Dillan Solomons (22) are some of the young players that were signed to help rebuild the team.
And with their arrival, Chiefs have had to let go of some seniors, including captain Bernard Parker, who had a love-hate relationship with the supporters.
But barely a month into the job, there have been a series of social media posts calling for Zwane to either be demoted or axed, and replaced by Pitso Mosimane.
Mosimane, who is one of the best coaches to come out of South Africa, with his knack of winning trophies taking him as far as African giants Al Ahly, but whether he is the right man to lead Chiefs is a different story. Amakhosi broke the bank to sign players that were suited for Zwane – not Mosimane.
So what must they do then? Reshuffle the squad once again because their fans are so impatient that they want Zwane gone and Mosimane at the helm?
That would be a drastic decision, exploiting Chiefs’ poor leadership – not to mention an insult to Zwane, who’s been a loyal servant.
While his target is rebuilding the team, Zwane is not naïve. He knows that he has to get results, and that’s why youngsters have been slowly integrated.
There was a lot of noise from the fans around the omission of Nkosingiphile Ngcobo from the team last season by coach Stuart Baxter, who was sacked.
But knowing the qualities and experience that Siyethemba Sithebe (29) brings to the team, Zwane has played the 22-year-old as an impact player.
Mistakes are part of the game and fans are the spiritual owners of the club. But Chiefs faithful have to be patient with Zwane, and watch ‘Mangethe football’ unfold.
@MihlaliBaleka