Amakhosi can't match rich kids

KAIZER Chiefs supremo Kaizer Motaung has shot down suggestions that he does not like spending money to bring top players to Naturena.

Motaung, making a rare appearance at the club's open media day at their base in Naturena yesterday, said it was difficult to sign the players they wanted at the club.

He said most people have the wrong idea about the club's policy when it comes to buying players.

"Most clubs such as (Mamelodi) Sundowns, SuperSport (United) and even Wits have better financial resources than us and they can hold on to their best players," Motaung said.

Motaung and his son and team manager Bobby Motaung were seated on either side of coach Vladimir Vermezovic, who is preparing for their league match against Ajax Cape Town at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Saturday afternoon.

"We were criticised for bringing players from Zimbabwe for cheap.

"People were saying we bought them on a 'buy one, get two free' (basis), not realising that we bought them for the same amount that we buy players here at home," he said.

Chiefs managed to sign talented Zimbabwean striker Knowledge Musona whose future at the club is bright.

Commenting on his team's season, the man who was better known as "Chincha Guluva" during his heyday as a player, said they could have won the league earlier on.

"Those five consecutive draws affected us. I think if we had won even three of those matches, we'd have won the league," he said.

Motaung also put to bed doubts about Vermezovic's future, insisting the Serb mentor was staying put.

Speculation surrounding the coach began to mount after Chiefs lost to amateur side Baroka FC in the Nedbank Cup and with the league seemingly also slipping away.

"We are very happy with the coach's performances. We always want to win the league but other teams are also doing well. It's not like in Spain where only two teams dominate. Here, most teams can win the league," Motaung said.

Bobby said when they hired Vermezovic, they did so with a vision to have him for a long time.