'I can turn Chiefs into champions' - Kgoloko

23 May 2019 - 08:37
By Gomolemo Motshwane
Kgoloko Thobejane eyes Chiefs' job.
Image: Gallo Images Kgoloko Thobejane eyes Chiefs' job.

Maverick former Baroka coach Kgoloko Thobejane believes he can turn Kaizer Chiefs into a championship-winning team again.

Amakhosi recently completed an embarrassing season where they finished ninth in the league and lost 1-0 to minnows TS Galaxy in the Nedbank Cup final.

The 49-year-old believes he could have done a better job as Chiefs coach, especially in the cup final in Durban at the weekend.

"I can build Chiefs to be a very strong team. The other clubs will start to respect us from that day," Thobejane told Sowetan.

"I can coach it at any time and deliver the results. I can do better than [Giovanni] Solinas and Ernst Middendorp combined."

He continued: "Chiefs is a big team why should they go into a game against Galaxy and worry too much about the opponent?

"Galaxy was not worried about marking Chiefs. They were concerned about keeping the ball and to attack," he said.

The former teacher at Mogodumo Primary School in Lebowakgomo added that players such as Willard Katsande would never make it in his team.

"A player like Katsande, can he attack? With the ball at his feet what can he do? After tackling a player what can he do with the ball?" he asked.

His famous words "football can kill you a real death" have become a popular aphorism in the local game. The tactician from GaMphahlele, outside Lebowakgomo, said he was making a general observation and people laughed at him.

"I told them this football will kill you. Football goes together with death. It's a spiritual death because everybody wants to win but it's not possible for everyone to win," he said.

"Football has no therefore. And it will continue killing people," he reflected in relation to Orlando Pirates' narrow loss in the title race.

He also gave credit to Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane. Thobejane feels every Bafana Bafana starting XI should be dominated by Sundowns players.

"Our national team depends on Pitso because they have an identity. In truth, the national team should have at least seven Sundowns players in the starting line-up. And then build around them. They are not playing the opponent they play football."

Thobejane has been without a job for six months after he was fired by Gauteng ABC Motsepe League side Ma-Lions FC in November.