Chiefs gun for more signings
by Joe Maluleke 05 July 2012, 12:39
Premier Soccer League (PSL) side Kaizer Chiefs are far from finished in the current transfer period and will pursue more acquisitions to beef up their squad, according to club chairman Kaizer Motaung.
The Amakhosi boss, writing in his weekly column on the club's official website, did not specify any names but it has widely been reported that they are after Eleazer Rodgers from relegated Santos and Lehlogonolo Masalesa of Bidvest Wits.
"We have begun in earnest our preparations for the new season by welcoming our players and new colleagues into the village. Together with the technical team, they started their training by completing stringent medical tests. Thankfully, the tests were encouraging to indicate that our players remained true to their off-season training programme," said Motaung.
The Chiefs boss also welcomed the new signings that were unveiled last week. Siboniso Gaxa, Morgan Gould, Siyabonga Nkosi, Kgotso Moleko, Sakhile Hlongwa, Brilliant Khuzwayo and Erick Mathoho are all in camp with their new club.
"He (Mathoho) joins the squad after much drama around his acquisition. We are still in pursuit of some players and will present them when all processes are complete. The Technical Team remains unchanged," Motaung said.
"The process has not been an easy one considering that we have had to part ways with several of our key players, including the long-serving Tinashe Nengomasha. I thank all of them for their contribution and hope they succeed in their new-found homes and pursuits," he added.
Chiefs will get their campaign off the ground with a friendly tournament that will feature SuperSport United, Moroka Swallows and BidVest Wits at Lucas Moripe Stadium on July 21 and then a week later they face off against rivals Orlando Pirates in the Carling Black Label Cup on July 28 at Soccer City.
"The road ahead certainly promises to be a tough one considering that other teams are entertaining the same intentions of lifting more silverware just like us. Even newly-promoted teams like University of Pretoria and Chippa United promise to fight tooth and nail to record their presence in the Premier League," he said.
Motaung, who has always been a champion of youth development, said the club will be working hard on reshaping their development structures and hope to finalise those plans soon.
Motaung said: "We are hoping to tap more into Head Coach Stuart Baxter’s additional mandate of developing future youngsters for the senior team. I believe, with everything in place, our team shall once more rise to claim its number one spot in football as a business and a sporting entity."
The Chiefs boss also had some sharp words for supporters and their tendency to boo the players when things are not going their way. He said this can "be healed only when supporters show a little courtesy and appreciation of our players' efforts on the field".
"Regrettably, this only happens in South Africa and nowhere else in the world. I abhor such behavior because it deflates the players' morale when they look up to their twelfth player for encouragement yet face a barrage of abuse when the heat becomes unbearable on the field.
"I just wish our supporters could stop such lunacy and learn from the supporters of Germany that stood behind their team despite the two-goal deficit against Italy in the semifinals of the recent 2012 European Championships. Amazingly they were more vociferous until the final whistle; one would have mistaken them for winners," he said.
