Renowned former Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brian Baloyi has delved deep into the core reasons behind Amakhosi’s recent struggles, with a particular focus on their challenging last season.
The previous campaign saw Chiefs severely underperform in the Betway Premiership, culminating in a ninth-place finish that, for the second time in a row, saw them fail to qualify for the MTN8.
Their cup ambitions also fell short, as they were knocked out of the Carling Knockout Cup quarter-finals by Mamelodi Sundowns in December. Despite managing to clinch the Nedbank Cup, triumphing over Orlando Pirates in the final, their league form indicated a deeper malaise.
Baloyi firmly believes that the solution to the Phefeni Glamour Boys' ongoing issues lies in a strategic addition to the coaching staff: a local assistant coach for Nasreddine Nabi's technical team. To underscore his point, the former Bafana Bafana international highlighted the impactful presence of Mandla Ncikazi within Orlando Pirates' successful setup.
He meticulously explained how Ncikazi has been fundamental to Pirates’ consistent success over the past two seasons alongside Jose Riveiro, serving as a prime example of the invaluable contribution a local perspective can bring to a team's strategy and player management.
BRIAN BALOYI – ‘PEOPLE DON’T RESPECT THE ROLE’
“I’ve been telling people don’t respect the role that Mandla Ncikazi is playing at Pirates,” said Baloyi.
“That’s where I feel Chiefs are missing the point and don’t understand that role. We understand that most of our players come from townships and rural areas. Some of them can’t express themselves properly in English.
“When you have an assistant coach who’s local, they are able to speak to those players. A coach can speak in English or even sometimes you have coaches who don’t even know English, you need a local coach to speak with Zulu or Sotho.
“People have to understand that our cultures are different as coaches and players. European coaches won’t understand that sometimes some of our cultures when we grow, you grow up scared of a white person.
“When I being this coach, he can’t express himself. It will take time for him to able to express himself in a proper way.
“Sometimes people don’t understand that when a player joins Chiefs from, for example, Golden Arrows. When the player gets to Chiefs, he is coached by Ernst Middendorp who’ll swear and shout at you, then the player can’t perform.
“So, if Chiefs keep a coach, they must bring in a local assistant to be part of the technical team.”
