Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Kenny Nirmacher talks about the current issues in the team!
Former Kaizer Chiefs striker Kenny Nyimachi has issued a scathing criticism of his old club, pointing to a deep-seated identity crisis as the core reason for their long-term struggles.
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The famous Soweto side last won the Premier League (PSL) title back in 2015 and only broke a decade-long trophy drought last season by winning the Nedbank Cup under former coach Nasreddine Nabi. This period was characterized by the contrast between the domestic dominance of rivals Mamelodi Sundowns (eight consecutive league titles) and Orlando Pirates’ reputation as cup masters.
This season offers little respite. Chiefs find themselves in fourth place heading into the New Year after missing out on the league knockout rounds and failing to cash in on their final league game of the year. While they maintain a mathematical lead in the title race – four points behind leaders Orlando Pirates, who have a game in hand – their form is inconsistent. Hopes are now also pinned on the Nedbank Cup and CAF Confederation Cup, although they are still looking for a first win in Group D after two games.
Although the club carried out significant activity in the last transfer window, bringing in 11 new players, Niemach believes Naturena’s problems are far more serious than player personnel issues. Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Katz are now joint coaches following Nabi’s unexpected departure, and the former striker believes the problem is fundamental.
“Kaizer Chiefs can have an open checkbook, but then it comes back to identity,” Niemach said bluntly in an interview with FARPost. “They need to sit in the boardroom first and ask themselves, ‘Who are we?'”
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He made a pointed comparison with their biggest rivals: “If you go and ask Sundowns who they are, they know who they are. Pirates know exactly who they are. Chiefs don’t know who they are. You can buy the players you want – they have seven forwards. Now, tell me one thing, how does that help you because you don’t know who you are anymore?”
Niemach’s prescription involves embracing a radical transformation of local football knowledge and structures. He argued for the appointment of experts who understand the club’s culture and the South African game.
“There are a lot of factors, a lot of groundwork. Bringing in local people, who understand the local culture and the mentality of the local players, rather than people who don’t,” he urged.
Elaborating on his vision for a technical team rooted in the club’s tradition, he advised: “Give the locals a chance. If you want a forwards coach, call someone like Doc Kumalo, Sean McGregor or Fani Madida, they are all great forwards. You bring in Howard Freese and Neil Tovey because they are defensively minded. You bring in Ace Kusi because he is a midfield genius. Now you combine those things.”
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Speaking about global standards, Niemach questioned the current setup of clubs: “If you look at any European team, there are four coaches on the bench, what are we doing? We need to wake up; that’s why we are behind. Even some African teams have four coaches on the bench and when they come to play us, we look weak.”
He concluded with a sobering thought on the need for honest introspection: “Our problem is that we don’t like the truth. We want to lie to ourselves about flowers blooming. The truth is the truth; we don’t move forward.”