NEWS: Teko Modise says Kaizer Chiefs need to return to their roots

It has been nine long seasons without a trophy for the Soweto giants, who are currently under the guise of interim coach Cavin Johnson.

The former Platinum Stars, SuperSport United and Black Leopards boss was promoted from his position as the head of the youth to replace Molefi Ntseki – whose appointment was met with conjecture and appeared to be a stop-gap before a more permanent head coach could be found.

Amakhosi had looked to be heading in the right direction with Arthur Zwane’s appointment – a man who embodied the club – but perhaps was handed the reins too soon in his fledgling career as a top-flight manager.

Previous incumbents included Gavin Hunt, who joined when the club were under a transfer embargo and wasn’t able to get anywhere near to achieving his aims – while the appointment of Stuart Baxter was an attempt to replicate past glories, but the Englishman wasn’t able to repeat his previous heroics of guiding Chiefs to four trophies.

Ernst Middendorp has been the club’s most successful recent coach, as he guided Chiefs to a second-place finish in the 2019/20 campaign – but only after conceding the league to Mamelodi Sundowns on the final day of the season.

“Chiefs have changed coaches. In the last two seasons, they have had three different coaches and three different styles of play,” Modise told the Citizen.

“I think the biggest thing that needs to happen at Kaizer Chiefs is to go back to the culture of what Kaizer Chiefs is, the way Kaizer Chiefs play. It’s something we have not seen in a long time and that means maybe they need to find the coach that will instil this kind of play and the players that will buy into it.

“I also think that what might help is to have people on the bench that understand the Black and Gold, players that have played for the club and won trophies with the club.

“That will remind the players about the importance of winning trophies. You need to have legends closer to the club if you want to succeed because there’s certain information that coaches are unable to get to the players, but legends can.”

Chiefs will tavel to Cape Town City in a DStv Premiership clash after the conclusion of the international break on 30 March.