Former Kaizer Chiefs coach Molefi Ntseki has shed light on the challenges he faced during his brief tenure at the club, contrasting the experiences with those of their rivals, Orlando Pirates.
Ntseki, who started last season as the head coach after being promoted from head of development, faced a tough stint that ended in mid-October after managing only three wins in nine matches.
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In an interview on Sports Night Amplified with Andile, Ntseki pointed out that unlike Pirates, which managed to secure trophies and respectable league positions even during tough times, Chiefs have been grappling with deeper, more prolonged issues.
"It happened with Pirates, but remember Pirates had never gone through what Chiefs had gone through over the past years. Pirates had a bad and a good season, they had trophies to win. Pirates had matches to lose, but at the same time it was more of a win and lose in terms of trophies and league matches," Ntseki told Sports Night Amplified with Andile.
The former Bafana Bafana coach emphasized that the situation at Chiefs requires patience and a deep understanding of the underlying issues affecting the team.
"So, the difficulty like what we're talking about now of Kaizer Chiefs – this has happened over a long period of time and it needs patience for everybody to overcome and understand what they are going through," continued the mentor.
Ntseki also highlighted the impact of early setbacks in matches and how they are perceived differently at clubs like Chiefs compared to a team like Mamelodi Sundowns.
"Let's make this example, they are playing the first game in August and in that first game it happens that they concede very early. You know, what happens to everybody within the club – there we go again," Ntseki said.
"But if ever that happens to a team like (Mamelodi) Sundowns, they concede very early in the game because of what they have experienced over time, they have the confidence and belief that it's just a goal we've conceded, we're still going to come back and win this match.
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"So, it's more of a mental and psychological project that I feel each and everyone associated with the club is going through at the moment," he added.
This psychological aspect, according to Ntseki, is crucial and is something that everyone associated with Chiefs is currently working through. According to Ntseki, the need for mental strength and resilience is more pronounced at Chiefs due to their recent history of challenges.
As Chiefs move forward under the guidance of newly appointed Tunisian tactician Nasreddine Nabi, the insights from Ntseki provide valuable context to the ongoing efforts to stabilize and improve the team. The club's management and fans are hopeful that with Nabi at the helm, Chiefs can begin to overcome the hurdles that have hindered their progress in recent years.
