Frustrated Kaizer Chiefs fans have voiced out their opinions on the current technical team and compared them to previous coaches such as Ernst Middendorp, with many in the AmaKhosi faithful feeling the German should have been given more time.
It’s been seven seasons since Kaizer Chiefs tasted silverware. The Soweto giants have tried everything one could think of in the coaching department. They’ve had local coaches, brought back former managers, and tried up-and-coming tacticians but nothing seems to be working as the trophy drought continues.
Mamelodi Sundowns senior coach Steve Komphela has been the longest-serving coach during this dry period. The former Bafana Bafana player was at Narurena for three seasons reaching two finals.
Ernst Middendorp is available. He is the last coach to really get the best out for this team.
— Mpho Ncube (@Pitsere) September 11, 2022
Komphela was forced to resign after one of the worst pitch invasions we will ever see in South African football. The stadium chairs were burnt, security personnel were assaulted, TV equipment was destroyed and the property was vandalized by exasperated Chiefs fans.
A shocking appointment of another former Free State Stars coach left Chiefs fans puzzled when the Glamour Boys announced Giovanni Solinas. The Italian lasted just five months after accumulating 18 points from 14 matches.
People must admit that Middendorp and Baxter knew how to win game, just that their football wasn't that good. Zwane kinda plays good football with no end product
— Tebogo_KBY👆 (@Yalabye2) September 11, 2022
Following the departure of Solinas, Kaizer Chiefs appointed Ernst Middendorp as the new head coach on a deal for two and a half years. During that season, everyone had written off Chiefs in everything, Middendorp guided his side to the Nedbank Cup final which they lost to first division side TS Galaxy.
Reaching the final impressed Chiefs management despite losing to a Motsepe Foundation side and they rewarded Middendorp by showing faith in him.
The German only made four signings of which three of them had no South African experience. They brought in Samir Nurkovic, Lazarous Kambole, Kearyn Baccus and Yagan Sasman.
During Middendorp times we were playing mud football but at least we were winning, andiyazi leKaka
— MaZibula ❤️ (@LindiswaNyembez) September 11, 2022
Middendop’s Chiefs took everyone by surprise and looked to be running away with the league title until COVID-19 hit. To prove Chiefs were well on course pre-COVID, the Glamour Boys only won two matches in the bio-bubble but still lost the league in the last 30-minutes of the season.
The German was sacked along with his assistant Shaun Bartlett. Before the season, nobody had ever thought that Chiefs had what it took to challenge for the league title and sacking a coach for finishing second in his first full season seems harsh and unfair.
That Middendorp team was a sign of well coached team. By well coached I mean a team that had a clear way of how it played and executed it continuously almost without fail. I don’t want the “well coached” team be confused with good football.
— Dabane The Darling ❤️✌🏾 (@Sgadi28) September 9, 2022
Because of that, a lot of Chiefs fans turned to Twitter and admitted that Middendorp was a better fit for Chiefs despite playing ‘negative football’. The fans say AmaKhosi were competitive and improving under the German which is something they’ve failed to see since he left.
Even Middendorp's team was playing better than this Mangethe ball team. I understand we want to play nice carpet football but hayi let's start with results then from there the confidence will build on.
— Dr. PERFECT💛🖤✌🏾 (@Ace1_3) September 11, 2022
We aren't even threatening on setpieces.
