While some Kaizer Chiefs fans and rival supporters have been left unimpressed by their pre-season form, a former Mamelodi Sundowns star believes there are a lot of improvements.
Chiefs have so far played six pre-season matches, five during their two-week stay in the Netherlands, when they lost four and won one, as well as last Saturday’s Toyota Cup against Asante Kotoko, when they played a goalless draw before losing 3-2 on post-match penalties.
Coach Nasreddine Nabi and his players have maintained a positive outlook although supporters were so invested in the results that they have not been looking at other areas.
However, former Sundowns captain Hlompho Kekana has lauded Nabi’s team for showing massive improvements in pre-season so much so that he believes they will be highly competitive next season.
What has impressed Kakana about Chiefs?
“I’ve seen a better Kaizer Chiefs. I’ve seen a team that wants to win football matches,” Kekana said on SABC’s Soccerzone as quoted by iDiski Times.
“I’ve seen distances in the midfield. I’ve seen distances as a team in the structure. You can tell this is a team that wants to compete this season.”
Chiefs finished a disappointing ninth in the PSL last season to miss out on the top eight for a second successive season although winning the Nedbank Cup gave them some respite as they ended their 10-year trophy drought and also earned them a spot in next season’s CAF Confederation Cup.
Amakhosi are looking forward to a change in fortunes in 2025-26 and Nabi has so been backed by the signing of six players so far in striker Flavio Silva, midfielders Ethan Chislett and Siphesihle Ndlovu as well as defenders Nkanyiso Shinga, Paseka Mako and Thabiso Monyane.
