Kaizer Chiefs' performances in the DStv Premiership this season was far from what was expected of them, culminating in an unprecedented 10th place finish.
Siya sources have indicated what could have been the underlying issues that contributed to their downfall in 2024, according to insiders close to the club.
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The sources added that the departure of head coach Molefi Ntseki introduced a period of instability within the squad, exacerbating existing reported tensions. After the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year, the situation then deteriorated further under the stewardship of interim coach Cavin Johnson.
"There were a lot of divisions among players. The spirit was not the same at the team, mainly after coach Ntseki left. If you recall, other players raised that issue but I think it was not well addressed and that's why after the Richards Bay game, things went sour in the dressing room where defenders accused strikers of not scoring. That really affected the team," said the Siya source.
This breakdown in team cohesion was highlighted as a factor in Amakhosi's poor run of form in the weeks to follow.
The source added, "Imagine going six games without a loss and keeping clean sheets to then finish in position 10? How is that possible? It's because of the divisions among the players," the source told Soccer Laduma.
A second Siya source discussed Johnson's role to assert control over the dressing room to change things around at Chiefs.
"You know once you lose the dressing room you are done. It's not that coach Cavin was bad, no. He is too nice a person and when egos went up against each other in the dressing room it became a bit tight and tough for him to control and he lost it. That's where the main problem lied. Division among the players and losing the dressing room control led to a very poor season for Chiefs," the second source believes.
These insiders highlight the complex dynamics at play within professional football teams, where success on the field is often closely tied to harmony off it.
Soccer Laduma reached out to Chiefs for comment on this matter, but no response was received by the time this report was published.
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