Let's face it, Chiefs have become the joke of the town, and the laughter rings louder now that their coach has admitted to running out of football ideas to motivate his players.
Johnson’s idea of revitalising his team is to take the squad to a shooting range, which sounds a bit out of taste given that Amakhosi just lost Luke Fleurs after he was gunned down this month.
Whether Johnson was joking or not, there is no amount of team-building exercises that can rescue the team, at least at this point. Chiefs have gone five games without tasting victory or showing much intent in their performance.
Back-to-back losses against Richards Bay, Chippa United and Stellenbosch, a draw away to Cape Town City and a defeat in the Soweto derby against Orlando Pirates is how Amakhosi’s form reads.
As it stands, Amakhosi run the risk of finishing outside of the top half of the log table, which would mean they would be reduced to spectators in next season’s MTN8.
That on its own would be an embarrassment for a big brand like the Glamour Boys to finish the season in a position where you would normally find middle-weight teams such as TS Galaxy, Golden Arrows, and the like.
READ: Kaizer Chiefs coach Cavin Johnson refuses to give up on CAF spot
This would be the fourth time that Chiefs end up in the bottom half after finishing ninth in the 2001/02, 2006/07, and 2018/19 campaigns.
Chiefs’ rivals, Mamelodi Sundowns, will play their eighth game in April when they host Esperance in the Caf Champions League semi-final second-leg tie on Friday.
Amakhosi, on the other hand, are well-rested and will play their next game after half a dozen days, but still, the odds are already stacked against them as they go up against an equally frustrated SuperSport United.
What is the solution? If anyone had an answer to this question, Kaizer Motaung Senior would give them a golden handshake because really, Chiefs’ situation is so dire to the point that they appear to be just honouring the remaining fixtures.
Johnson is out of ideas. He has tried different combinations in all departments. The pairing of Edmilson Dove and Given Msimango leaks goals just like that of Zitha Kwinika and whoever he is paired with.
In midfield, Johnson has tried out the Edson Castillo and Yusuf Maart combination, added Sibongiseni Mthethwa to the blend, and a bit of Nkosingiphile Ngcobo here and there. Siyethemba Sithebe has been given a cameo lately – but still, the supply to the front line has been poor.
No creative juices are flowing and there isn’t a single player who you can point out as an outstanding performer this season.
The strike force has been blunt. The group of Ranga Chivaviro, Jasond Gonzalez, Ashley du Preez, Pule Mmodi and Christian Saile have scored a combined total of 12 goals as they all failed to live up to expectations.
The less said about Chiefs’ prolonged trophy drought, the better. With all the signs written in bold and capital letters, Amakhosi’s top brass are still trying to defy logic by signing substandard and mediocre players.
The first step to reviving the sleeping Soweto giants is to clear the deadwood at the end of the season and open up the chequebook.
Next Kaizer Chiefs Match!
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) April 23, 2024
🏆#DStvPrem
⚽️Kaizer Chiefs vs. SuperSport United
👕First Team
🗓️Saturday 27 April 2024
🏟Peter Mokaba Stadium
🕞17h30
📺SuperSport 202
🎟R60 - Computicket, Shoprite - https://t.co/nSBHeT3ji1#Amakhosi4Life #Khosified pic.twitter.com/5PE6pGKYlG
