Editor's Column - Joe Crann
Editor's Blog By Joe Crann.
Kaizer Chiefs lifted the Absa Premiership trophy this weekend, bringing to an end an incredible record-breaking season for the Amakhosi, however the superb atmosphere, the 19th clean sheet and two good goals were overshadowed by the death of a fan. The man's name isn't known as of yet, but he went to watch a game of football, to watch the team that he loves lift the league title that they have thoroughly deserved, but never got to enjoy it. Friends and family lost a loved one. No matter what celebrations followed, it puts things truly into perspective. As the Amakhosi players celebrated their win, not too far away a man was fighting for his life, a fight that he ultimately lost, seemingly, because he was in the wrong place at the wrong time. The atmosphere at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium was actually superb. In the lead-up to the game, while walking around Port Elizabeth, there was a serious vibe going on. Chippa may not have been in PE long, but the locals have really bought into what the Chilli Boys are trying to do and are backing their team to the hilt. I love going to a stadium and seeing real, local fans. Don't get me wrong, there were plenty of Chiefs fans inside the stadium, but there was just as much of a roar when Chippa were on the attack as when Chiefs were pushing. One thing that I find strange in South Africa is the reach of the 'big' sides. For instance, Chiefs can go to practically any other city in Mzansi and pull in a sizeable crowd, yet at home in Jo'burg they struggle to get anybody there, so to see Chippa fans in such impressive numbers in their new hometown is brilliant for me! Sundowns and Chippa against Chiefs have to be two of the best atmospheres that I've seen in South African football. The fans at those games seem real, like they are there because they want to be there, not just because it was cool to be there. For me, the Soweto Derby seems a bit contrived. It's a social event as much as a football game, so I love attending two games with such amazing crowds that don't involve the 'Soweto Giants'. It gives me a bit of hope going forward. I'm split on Chippa, through. On one hand, especially after this weekend, I feel that the people of PE deserve a top-flight football club. They are passionate about their football and Nelson Mandela Bay is a beautiful, beautiful stadium. However, on the other hand, I think that they deserve better than Chippa. What I mean is that they deserve better than a club whose management keep chopping and changing their coaches to the extent that there is no degree of continuity whatsoever. They've had four coaches over the last 18 games and won just one game… Can you tell me that that's the coaches' fault? Interestingly, this weekend they were playing against a team that have won four trophies in three years by being the polar opposite. Chiefs have Stuart Baxter, the longest-serving current head in the Absa Premiership, and a core group of players that feature week in and week out. That continuity and the level of trust built up between coach and players are the biggest factors in their success, and it's something that the Chilli Boys' trigger-happy management can definitely learn from. What Chiefs have managed to achieve this season is superb in my opinion. They've broken a whopping 10 records along the way and beaten every single team in the Absa Premiership at least once throughout the course of the campaign, making sure that there was no doubt that they deserved their 12th league title. For me, however, the most interesting thing about their post-match celebrations was looking at how much the team could potentially change in the coming months. Chiefs' squad, even those who have not featured this season, collected their medals and sprayed their champagne, while some of the biggest names are stuck with uncertain futures. There are rumours surrounding Baxter's future, while Itumeleng Khune and Tefu Mashamaite have both been linked with a move away from the club. George Lebese's one-year option has not been exercised yet, and Mandla Masango will be a free agent in a few weeks' time. If I was a Chiefs fan, I'd be a tad worried. Victory may have come easily this season, but if a few of the previously mentioned names move on, then things may well be quite different in 2015/16. Whether Baxter stays or goes remains to be seen, but he's already said that we could see the largest turnover of players that the club has experienced in many years and, depending on who comes in, that may not be a good thing. However, all of this seems pretty irrelevant after what happened at the stadium because, as Chiefs' shone brightest, the light of one of their fans went out. RIP. Cheers, Joe Follow me on Twitter: @YesWeCrann
