In
the early exchanges of the season, Kaizer Chiefs were on a back foot after
being beaten by Orlando Pirates in a few consecutive matches, including the
nonsensically inflated pre-season matches (and also in the transfer market some
will feel).
Perhaps
as a sign it hit home that something needs to be done. Or an alarm that
something was wrong with the team, as there were a lot of jeers than ever
before, player acquisition being the main issue. Lo and behold, the marketing
side of the club coaxed a buzzing tagline “Rise Khosi Rise” in the aftermath.
Is this an emotional reverse psychology?
When
you exhaust the matters at hand, you may come at a glaring conclusion that this
was a collective effort, not only from the marketing deparment, but from the
powers that be, to at least defer the real football issues that bellies the
Kaizer Chiefs’ modus operandi. Perhaps it was an inadvertent message, conceding
that they realise that they are not the side they used to be and should be as
the Club’s glittering history appoints (a notion, well documented).
According
to Merriam Webster Dictionary the word ‘Rise’ means: to assume an upright
position especially from lying, kneeling or sitting; to get up from sleep or
from one’s bed; to return from death. Immediately you start to catch the reason
behind it. Damage control? Yes.
Not
a bad thing to do though. Not at all. However, it doesn’t end there. It was the
starting point. Or the noticeable starting point towards the means.
Co-founder
and Executive Chairman Mr Kaizer Motaung is acutely aware that his team is
losing ground to their direct competitors. That his team is slowly losing its
allure. And he’s doing something about it.
The
author holds an unprecedented notion that the whole Kaizer Chiefs institution
is on a reform based on a sequence of events which forms a huge part of the
common denominator. I am not privy to any uncommon knowledge of the plans
master-minded by the Amakhosi board, but there are marks pointing to my placid
perspective.
Prior
to the start of the current campaign, news emerged that Kaizer Motaung has
bought the 49% shares of the club which were previously held by Primedia. At
the start of the season the club launched a completely new design for the club’s
apparel (this is not something new, but you will notice that it was a bold move
to overhaul the club’s insignia).
The
Club announced that the development set-up will be scrapped and started from
scratch. The public were led to believe that this was done because of the
scourge of age cheating (of course this is prevalent, but the scribe would like
to believe that there was more to it than it meets the eye).
As
a slight indication of the reform that is now still embryonic, they PURCHASED
Bernard Parker from FC Twente (when was the last time Chiefs bought a “big
name”?), whom had more than a season to run on his contract. He didn’t come
cheap. A rare move, considering their frugality. Were these events
coincidental? I doubt it. They were controlled by an organised effort to
restructure the team. And rest-assured, more events will unfold.
It
was long decided that Vladimir Vermezovic’s contract was not going to be
renewed. The changes are taking place gradually. Do you wonder why the
management did not care to part company with the combustible Serb on a brink of
a Quater-final clash and alas still in the running for the League title? They
have long being plotting their plans, that they even realised they don’t
deserve to win any silverware, better to kick start afresh the new season now.
However,
that doesn’t take away the fact that they have failed the multitudes of its
supporters. But as any other club, they have made mistakes and are
acknowledging them (if only privately, my opinion).
The
puzzles are now scrambled and when the time permits, they would be correctly
slotted to make the picture complete. Whatever time it takes.
If
they could have come out and announced their plans, there wouldn’t be a need of
grinding noises of metal against metal but an easy and free flowing movement
that is characteristic of a well looked after vehicle.
By Thato Bosoga
Twitter: @Adv_blair
