FRUSTRATION Kaizer Chiefs supporters react during a Betway Premiership game. Photo: Itumeleng English/Independent Media
Image: Itumeleng English Independent Media
Kaizer Chiefs’ 4-1 loss to SuperSport United on Tuesday evening shouldn’t come as a surprise to their fans. The result was very much on point as to where the club are currently.
Amakhosi faithful were confident when the club appointed Nasreddine Nabi at the start of the season. They felt the Tunisian tactician had enough nous to lead the club into a new trophy-laden era.
But as things stand, 2024/25 is going to just be another painful season. Next season will probably be the same, as well as the campaign after that.
For Chiefs fans who want to see an improvement to their mental health, they should accept Nabi’s advice and lower their expectations. Once you do that, you’ll feel better every morning, even if your team suffer an embarrassing loss.
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Kaizer Chiefs are a big team only in history. We all remember watching Paul Dolezar and Ted Dumitru’s teams terrorising Mamelodi Sundowns in the Rothmans Cup thanks to the brilliance of the likes of Brian Baloyi, Thabo Mooki, Thabang Lebese and Pollen Ndlanya.
That was football. That was Mzansi’s team. Unfortunately, the club’s fans have been holding on to that history and expecting the likes of Pule Mmodi, Wandile Duba and Ranga Chivaviro to entertain them as much as those legends from yesteryear.
Lower your expectations a little. Forget about finishing high in the league. For now, they should be looking at beating teams they should beat, and shouldn’t be too disheartened when they get hammered by clubs like SuperSport.
Also, it would lower the massive amount of pressure on the players themselves. Following their impressive 3-0 win over Chippa United in the Nedbank Cup, there was a belief that “Chiefs were back”. This was the same after their 4-0 Telkom Knockout Cup win over SuperSport last October.
After every win, fans get excited, therefore putting more pressure on the players. And the results that follow remind everyone that they should not be thinking of themselves as a big club.
Kaizer Chiefs remain a club in transition, and the sooner their fans accept this reality, the easier it will be to stomach nights like the 4-1 drubbing at the hands of SuperSport United. Clinging to past glory won’t change the fact that the club is no longer feared.
Instead of dreaming about title charges and rekindling the dominance of yesteryear, Chiefs supporters should focus on small victories—consistent performances, tactical growth, and maybe, just maybe, a return to respectable competitiveness.
For now, they are no longer the giants they once were. But with the right patience, planning, and a dose of realism, perhaps one day, they can be again.
IOL Sport
* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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