The PSL vuvuzela's are laid down, soon to be silenced by the Africa Cup of Nations drums echoing from Ivory Coast. But for Kaizer Chiefs, this quietude isn't a mere interlude – it's a tactical maneuver, a chance to build a new fortress from the dust of the first half of the season. And who better to lay the foundation stones than Cavin Johnson, the architect handed the blueprints only midway through the season?
Thomas Sweswe, the Zimbabwean who once patrolled the Amakhosi backline with unwavering commitment, sees AFCON as a blessing in disguise, a golden opportunity for Johnson. In an exclusive interview with Soccer Laduma, Sweswe explains why this break can be the catalyst for a Chiefs renaissance.
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"If you look at how coach Johnson has started it shows that if he had enough time with the players at the start of the season it could have been different. So to achieve that they should use this break as a preseason for them. If you look at the weeks that they will be on break it's just as good as the off season and preparing for the new season."
With no Chiefs players whisked away by AFCON duty, Johnson has his full squad assembled.
"This will give the coach and his technical team the chance to know the players better without the pressure of thinking about an immediate game. It will also give him the chance to look at the player combinations which they could be using going forward. It has worked to their advantage that no player is going to AFCON as they will have a look at everyone and work out how they can use them. This is great opportunity for coach Cavin Johnson to have his own pre-season now," Sweswe observed.
New tactics can be drilled, strategies born not in the heat of battle, but through uninterrupted practice.
This Afcon interlude, far from being a forced vacation, is a golden opportunity. A chance to forge a team, not just a collection of jerseys. A chance for Johnson to etch his philosophy onto the very fabric of Amakhosi.
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