Former South Africa international Hans Vonk is convinced Kaizer Chiefs are on the right track and will make an impact in the 2025/26 season.
The Glamour Boys have been in the Netherlands, where they played five friendly games, but ended up losing four, with their only win coming against Zwolle. However, the former Ajax Amsterdam goalkeeper is happy with what he saw from the Soweto giants.
He argues that the pitch made it harder for the players to adapt fast, and went on to pinpoint the players he feels delivered in the games played.
‘Vonk names players who shone'
“I can imagine that the players needed to adjust to the pitches in their first few friendly matches in Holland. The ball circulation is also quicker, especially when facing quality Eredivisie sides. It's something the players needed to adapt to,” he told Chiefs' media team.
“I like the organisation of the team; jersey number 12 [Nkosingiphile Ngcobo], number 74, the left-back [Nkanyiso Shinga], and number 5 [Sibongiseni Mthethwa].
“I am not really interested in those losses. It's pre-season, and that's all about getting ready for the season. Besides that, the players had to adapt to the different circumstances in Holland and the strong Dutch opponents they played against,” Vonk added.
‘I hope Chefs will return to their level'
“For sure, as a goalkeeper, I hated conceding a goal and losing, even in pre-season. However, it's all about the new experiences in Holland, about playing matches against competitive sides, getting the rhythm right, building a team… That's what a coach is looking at during pre-season,” the ex-keeper continued.
“The pre-season camp in the Netherlands must have been a great experience for the whole team. I am sure they will all have learnt a lot. [The Chiefs fans in Mzansi] were always very sympathetic, and I never saw them in a fight or something like that. It was really about Love and Peace!
“I really hope that Chiefs will be able to return to the level where they belong. And with that, I mean, being competitive and challenging for trophies,” he concluded.
