In an era where Kaizer Chiefs once successfully brought home players like Bernard Parker, Tsepo Masilela, and more recently Keagan Dolly, the landscape seems to have shifted, with affordability becoming a significant hurdle.
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In an exclusive interview with Soccer Laduma, Rooi pondered the feasibility of signing high-calibre players such as Percy Tau or Lyle Foster, comparing Chiefs' capabilities with those of Mamelodi Sundowns.
"It would really be good for the team to have players like Percy Tau or even Lyle Foster to come back to South Africa and join Kaizer Chiefs. That's how the team can improve on their performance and results in future. But the biggest question is affordability. We all know that Mamelodi Sundowns can afford to bring top quality players from Europe back home to South Africa and still afford them. So even in as much as Chiefs would want to do that they look at the affordability first and that's why they would rather develop their own players,"Rooi explained to the Siya crew, highlighting the financial constraints Chiefs face in competing for top talent.
Rooi also touched on the importance of negotiation skills in securing such players, suggesting that Chiefs could learn from Sundowns' approach.
"They have to know how to negotiate to get those big name players to Chiefs just like the way Sundowns does. But as I have said, it would really be great to sign such players in future when their time to come back home is right," he added.
Beyond the challenges of attracting top talent, Rooi critiqued the mentality of the current generation of Chiefs players, suggesting a sense of complacency has crept in.
"There is a big different with the current Chiefs generation and the past generation. If you look at the players Chiefs sign they are very good at their previous clubs but when they join Chiefs they change. I think they relax and I think they have arrived. They don't fight hard.
"You know for you to perform well above yourself you should not think that you have arrived. When to join Chiefs your next motivation should be to move overseas and if you do that your performance will help the team and these current crop of players don't do that. That's the biggest mistake. And that affects the team as well.
"And because of that relaxation, the team is not winning trophies. At Chiefs if you say you have failed you should at least win two trophies in a season. It's unacceptable to go for such a long period without winning even a single trophy. That's why I am saying they are relaxed. They feel they have arrived which is not good at all," Rooi concluded, emphasizing the need for a shift in mindset among the players.
As the head coach of the Vaal University of Technology (VUT), Rooi brings a seasoned perspective to the challenges facing one of South Africa's most storied football clubs. His insights into the financial, strategic, and psychological aspects of building a successful team offer valuable lessons for Chiefs as they navigate the complexities of the modern football landscape.
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