Kaizer Chiefs legend Neil Tovey has given his take on the club’s struggles in recent years FILE - Kaizer Chiefs legend Neil Tovey has given his take on the club’s struggles in recent years. Photo: Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers
Former Bafana Bafana captain Neil Tovey has shared his opinion on what could be behind Kaizer Chiefs’ struggles in the Betway Premiership in recent years.
The mighty Amakhosi, once the dominant force in South African football, have not won any major silverware in almost decade.
The Soweto giants also had their worst league campaign last season, finishing in a disappointing 10th place.
The club has since appointed Tunisian coach Nasreddine Nabi to help turn things around. However, progress has been slow and he has urged the club’s loyal supporters to be patient as he attempts to steer the ship.
In an interview with Soccer Beat Podcast on YouTube, Tovey, who played for the Phefeni Glamour Boys in the 1990s, expressed his belief that the club currently does not possess the same calibre of players as Sundowns.
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“There’s two aspect that I think are really important. Number one; the club has become a professional set-up. It’s gone from a successful playing club to an extremely successful marketing and media, and that whole situation around the club.
“But at the end of the day, you’re going to need football players that play the game and you need the product on the field and I think they have just let themselves down in that regard.
“They have not had the calibre of players that maybe the likes of a Sundowns have bought,” Tovey said.
The former Bafana captain also stated that some of the players signed by the club were unaware of its history.
“I suppose it’s not always the best 11 on the field, but you’ve got to get them to play week in week out, and then again, there’s that hunger to put the jersey over the shoulder.
“And not just to think that Chiefs is any small fry and that’s it’s just another club. I don’t think a lot of those players know the enormity and the history of the club,” Tovey added.
IOL Sport
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