This off-season has seen another period of upheaval at Kaizer Chiefs. They have changed head coach, demoted the previous coach to an assistant role, and have signed seven players. There is rightly a lot of optimism over the additions of younger defenders like Given Msimango and Thatayaone Ditlhokwe at the back, but the recruitment of three new forwards (striker or wingers or wide attackers) is where the most scrutiny may lie. Every supporter and their dog has been calling for a top striker to come through the door, whilst the side's lack of genuine wingers in recent years has been a problem for coaches like Gavin Hunt in particular. Where do the three new forwards fit in at the Glamour Boys? Can the technical team upgrade the current options? And who is set to suffer from the higher number of options in the forward areas? Soccer Laduma investigates.
Amakhosi Sign Older Players
In the attacking areas, Kaizer Chiefs have signed three new players in this transfer window. Ranga Chivaviro has arrived from Marumo Gallants up front, whilst wingers Tebogo Potsane and Pule Mmodi have also been added to the squad. The side are getting players who have performed at a high level in recent seasons, that much is clear. Chivaviro scored 17 goals last season for a relegated Gallants side and was named in Bafana Bafana's provisional squad for the COSAFA Cup. Mmodi has been a regular in Hugo Broos' squads since the Belgian coach took over. However, he has usually been one of the players cut when bigger provisional selections were slashed to 23 players. He also had to miss out on both the 2021 COSAFA Cup and an Afcon qualifier against Ethiopia due to not having a valid passport. The final signing made in attack is that of Tebogo Potsane from Royal AM on a free transfer. Amakhosi fans will remember him for terrorising their back four in a Bloemfontein Celtic shirt in a 5-3 thriller back in 2019. All of these players are 'mature' as none of them will still be in their 20s by September. Chivaviro turns 31 in four months, Mmodi turned 30 in February and Potsane will hit the landmark in September.
Why Age Matters!
The thing is, age and experience does matter a lot. It can go both ways, though. The Soweto giants have signed three players who should hit the ground running due to their vast and varied experience. Results in recent seasons have been poor and injecting some ready-made attackers should see an improvement in the short-term. Molefi Ntseki has taken over to get a tune of the squad immediately and not with a long-term plan in mind. Although the attacking trio have never played for one of the top clubs – and the pressure and expectation that brings – they have featured in a plethora of top-flight matches and in continental action too. However, as with any decision on player trading in football, there is an opportunity cost. One decision taken means another door will close. With experienced players targeted, younger players will have less route to regular football. Some younger attackers will depart the club and others could stagnate on the bench. In one or two years, we may see some negative effects of the club prioritising older targets in this transfer window.
Chivaviro To Solve Finishing Woes?
If you listened to Arthur Zwane's post-match interviews last season, you would have regularly heard him bemoaning the poor finishing of his side. He often felt that the Naturena-based side were creating plenty of clear openings but that they lacked ruthlessness to put the ball into the back of the net. Cue a move for Gallants centre-forward Chivaviro. After a dispute with Richards Bay FC, whom he had been rumoured to have signed a pre-contract with, he has been chosen as Chiefs' potential saviour up front. In the DStv Premiership last season, he netted 10 goals despite his club finishing rock-bottom of the table. He scored a goal every 125 minutes on the pitch in the league, a better minutes-to-goals ratio than both Khanyisa Mayo (175 minutes) and Peter Shalulile (141 minutes), who finished as the joint winners of the Golden Boot. A further seven goals followed in the CAF Confederation Cup. A look at the video of some of his goals shows a genuine penalty box poacher. Early in the season, he was a bit-part player as coach Dan Malesela favoured a false nine. The first 10 league matches saw Chivaviro get zero starts and just four substitute outings. His season turned in the October win against Cape Town City. He came on in the first half and tucked away a fine low finish soon after. In the final seconds, he won a flick-on, burst into the area and calmly tucked away the winner. We've seen him score with a back-post header from a corner against Golden Arrows and then a fine back-post header in open play against Stellenbosch FC. There was even a long-range strike in the win against Al Akhdar in a CAF Confederation Cup clash. He netted six PSL goals in his final six matches to give Dylan Kerr's side a chance of staying up.
A suspension on the final day was a huge factor in a defeat to Swallows FC, which condemned the Limpopo-based club to the second tier. That run of goals saw a hattrick against Chippa United, including a smart dinked finish when through on goal and two good penalties. He then scored against his future employers, Chiefs, by forcing a miscommunication between Edmilson Dove and Brandon Petersen and tucking home a shot past the goalkeeper from near the byline. His only previous top-flight goals were two strikes in 24 DStv Premiership appearances in the colours of Baroka FC between 2018 and 2022. The player who pays the price for this signing is Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana. The Burundian forward completely fell out of favour with Zwane last season having initially scored freely – with the help of the penalty spot, granted – and he is set to depart for either a North African team or another PSL club. Considering the forward is a full six years younger than his replacement, you have to wonder if Amakhosi may look back on this decision with regret in 18 months. With four goals in his last five outings at international level, we have seen what "Caleb" can truly offer. Have the Soweto giants made the right call here? Only time will tell.
Have Chiefs Dodged Billiat Bullet?
In a recent statement, the Naturena-based outfit stated they had yet to hear back from Khama Billiat about a contract renewal. The Soweto giants made the veteran forward an offer with a significant pay cut included. As revealed by the Siya crew in last week's edition of Soccer Laduma, the deal presented would have seen the attacker's salary slashed by 60%. The player has not responded to the offer and has not been reachable for Chiefs. Firstly, considering his injury problems and highly inconsistent and underwhelming form since joining the club, it would arguably have been better to simply cut ties and move on. Instead, the Glamour Boys were willing to renew his deal despite the Zimbabwean turning 33 years old in August. This adds weight to the argument that the club has taken a short-term view to their off-season transfer business. Had Billiat stayed, it's not even clear where he would play. Ashley Du Preez, Chivaviro and Christian Saile are all ahead of him up front and his days as an effective left winger look to be long gone. Perhaps it will turn into a stroke of luck that the player has turned his back on Chiefs, seeing as the club didn't have the nerve to take the difficult decision themselves.
Potsane And Mmodi Have Same Effect As Mdantsane
In Issue 1328 in mid-June, we discussed the big impact that Mduduzi Mdantsane's signing could have on Mduduzi Shabalala and Nkosingiphile Ngcobo. There is a very real chance that the latter two will spend a lot of the season on the bench or fighting for scraps in terms of minutes. The same could apply down the flanks. With the additions of 30-year-old Mmodi and 29-year-old Potsane, it means that Keagan Dolly may play centrally when fit again. That further harms any hopes of regular minutes for "Mshini" or Shabalala. Other players who could be further sidelined by those additions are Kgaogelo Sekgota, who is four years younger than the two new wingers, as well as Happy Mashiane, who is turning 26 in January. He was a promising youngster not long ago, but two seasons of holding a fringe role have seen his career prospects take a hit. None of those four younger attacking midfielders have a clear path to game-time now. Ngcobo has often played on the wing in the past, so his path feels thoroughly blocked. The Soweto giants may be wise to look to loan out a couple of these players to keep their development on track. In the short-term, Mmodi brings excellent dribbling and cutting inside from the left flank, whilst Potsane is lightning-quick both on the ball and when running onto passes. One thing the latter doesn't do often is score goals. He has netted just five times in 115 DStv Premiership appearances over the past seven seasons for three different clubs. Mmodi's strike rate is miles better with 16 goals in 85 league matches. He has played at least 28 PSL fixtures in each of his three seasons as a top-flight player, so he is durable and reliable.
What Others Have To Say About The New Signings…
Former Golden Arrows striker
Nhlanhla Mshibe on Mmodi
"This is a good move for him, uyabona (you see). I think he deserves to be at Kaizer (Chiefs), for now. Where he was previously, at Golden Arrows, he no longer had competition and I can say he was a big fish in a small pond. So, I would say he no longer deserved to be at Arrows, he just deserved to be at a big team like Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, where he would come in and face competition for a place in the starting line-up. So, it is a good move from where I'm standing. I'm happy for him and I wish him all the best of luck at his new club. For sure, he has the qualities that the team needs going forward and, in fact, when I look at a team like Chiefs, they needed a player like Mmodi, a winger who is quick, who is creative, can create and can score goals as well. Because if you can't score, you have to assist. That's what Mmodi was doing at Arrows in the last few seasons – he could assist and score goals too. A big team like Chiefs needs a player like that, which is something that was lacking a little bit in the team last season. Uyabona uPule Mmodi izinto azozenza kwi Chiefs, uzoyishintsh' impela iChiefs (You see the things that Pule Mmodi will do at Chiefs, he's really going to change Chiefs). You will see Chiefs, this season they will be winning things! Definitely, there's something they will get this season. He's creative and it's just that some people may not have noticed him because he was playing for a small team like Arrows. But they will get to see the real Pule Mmodi now. I'm really happy for him."
Kaizer Chiefs supporter
Saddam Maake on Chivaviro
"We all know Chivaviro is a striker that always plays to score and he's always on the opposition defenders' case. We know what he is capable of and I believe he's a good signing for us. Yes, there will always be pressure at Kaizer Chiefs, but all he needs to remember is that he played against us in our home games and he got a taste of what to expect when he plays for our team. Those supporters will be there even in bigger numbers this season, so he must just focus on his job. Supporters are the stakeholders of the team, so he must get used to big crowds because that's what he is going to experience in every game he plays for us. He has to do the same thing he's been doing because he gave us a hard time playing against us, in front of big crowds. Now it is time for him to play for those crowds. We will be patient with him and he must not put himself under unnecessary pressure. All he needs to do is focus on his job, listen to the coach's instructions, protect his talent and stay focused, then half the job will be done. Welcome home, Chiva, and it is time to put everything in the media about you signing for two teams behind you and focus on your stay at Naturena. You are a Chiefs player and do what you are used to. Score goals for us, make us happy and you will have a wonderful stay at Chiefs. We need you and there is a reason the club signed you. You are now part of our family, stay loyal to this club and your career will reach greater heights. New players, new coach, new kit and we are sorted and ready for the new season."
Former Free State Stars coach
Luc Eymael on Potsane
"Potsane is a speedy and skillful player with a correct hygiene of life. He is one of the players that I gave the opportunity to be in PSL (topflight) with Free State Stars in the same way that I did with the likes of Nyiko Mobbie, (Bathusi) Aubaas and Sinethemba Jantjie – may his soul rest in peace. If I had signed with AmaZulu FC or Richards Bay FC, those are the players I would have recommended, including Potsane. I would have done the same with Pule Mmodi, (Katlego) Otladisa and (Lesedi) Kapinga. For me, Potsane can play at Kaizer Chiefs, but unfortunately I am not the coach of Chiefs, so I don't have to tell the club's head coach what he has to do with the player. I am still following the South African league and I can see that only some teams are doing good transfers and Chiefs is one of those teams. Others are Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando Pirates, SuperSport United and some others too. So, now all these teams have to perform and one thing is for sure, Chiefs this season has to perform – if not, then it will be bad for the fans."
Not Bad Signings At All, But …
If we look purely at the short-term, the additions in attack may be an improvement for next season. Chivaviro is more refined and more ruthless than serial sitter-misser, Bimenyimana. Meanwhile, Mmodi takes the place of Billiat but with more consistent numbers and a better fitness record. Potsane brings pace so that the reliance on Du Preez for that particular weapon is not as great. The latter may actually be best as an impact sub and when you look at Chivaviro, he scored four goals as an impact substitute in the league last season too! Mmodi looks the pick of the bunch and the most likely to start on a weekly basis, but what is clear is that the extra options available now isn't great news for the younger players. Only the passage of time will inform us whether the recruitment of plug-and-play, older heads was a wise move or whether the youngsters deserved more faith. They say you don't win anything with kids, but can you win with veterans? Amakhosi's supporters will hope so.
