'Zwane working on Chiefs identity'

Hopes of a major change in Kaizer Chiefs’ fortunes following years of decline seem almost unrealistic following an indifferent start to the season, which this week heralded a third defeat in five DStv Premiership matches.

But Kaizer Motaung jnr, the man tasked with leading Amakhosi’s turnaround, which the club’s faithful hope will bring a first piece of silverware since 2015, remains unfazed.

The club’s sporting director says he’s confident the new regime led by Arthur Zwane will ultimately bring the glory, drawing encouragement from what he calls a noticeable shift in playing philosophy since Chiefs’ first match against Royal AM on August 6, which ended in a 0-1 defeat.

Chiefs produced undoubtedly their most impressive performance of this term when they hammered Maritzburg United 3-0 at FNB Stadium a few days later, but two more losses (0-4 against Mamelodi Sundowns) and Wednesday’s 0-2 setback at Cape Town City have truly brought the microscope on Zwane’s ability to change their fortunes.

“Our feet are firmly on the ground… we are realistic with what we want to achieve,” Motaung told Sowetan. “You can win on Matchday 1, playing dismally, but that’s not going to help your cause. We want results, yes, but things that take longer are the philosophy, the playing pattern, understanding and cultivating identity of play – that’s what we are aiming for.”

Motaung says he is heartened by what he sees from Zwane’s charges.

“In a very short space, we have been able to cultivate a certain way of playing, and we are only in the first phase of our project. We play with increased intensity,” he said. “Of course we would have loved to get positive results in all the games, but we have to look at matters objectively. ”

Having assumed the role of sporting director on June 1 last year, Motaung says he’s had a busy 14 months putting structures in place to get Amakhosi firing again. Infamously, he disagreed with Stuart Baxter’s methods, hence the Briton was jettisoned in April, and now Zwane – a novice that he is – is firmly in charge.

“The past year has mainly been about learning. We’ve done a lot to put everyone on the same page about where the club really wants to go. We saw what worked and what didn’t,” Motaung remarked.

Chiefs let go of no fewer than 12 players at the end of last season, and Motaung oversaw the recruitment drive to replace them. Key to his vision, however, remains the club’s development structures, which in the past produced household names such as Jabu Pule and Itumeleng Khune.

Zwane was bold enough to field teen Mduduzi Shabalala, who scored in the win over Maritzburg, but Motaung wants to see more. “To have 18-year old Mdu scoring at FNB, that’s our identity. Our development structures stand on a very good wicket. We had success at the U-19 Engen tournament, and we went to all the finals of the Gauteng Development League. It’s refreshing that we are all aligned now,” he said.