Hundreds of fans gathered at Soccer City for the Soweto Derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates. Will Kaizer Chiefs finally be worthy of their massive fanbase this season? Picture: Itumeleng English/Independent Newspapers
Kaizer Chiefs are going to win the league, this much is certain.
Okay, that’s a bit of a stretch. But it seemed like that could not be ruled out after Kaizer Chiefs got their new Betway Premiership season off to a winning start last weekend.
Their 2-1 win over Marumo Gallants brought the AmaKhosi faithful to life, and some quickly began predicting great things for a team that finished 10th in the league last term.
In fact, their triumph meant Chiefs won their opening game of the season for the first time since their 2019/2020 campaign. That’s no small feat, especially for a team that has not won the league for a decade.
Testament to their consistent mediocrity, they have only won the league four times in the PSL era which began in the 1996/1997 season.
In an unfair comparison for example, Mamelodi Sundowns won the league for the seventh time in a row last season.
To their credit, Chiefs did manage to finish second behind Sundowns in the 2019/2020 season. Unlike last season when Sundowns finished 23 points ahead of second-placed Orlando Pirates, the 2019/2020 season saw Chiefs run Sundowns close as they ended just two points behind the champions.
That runner-up finish, however, could hardly be celebrated for a team like Chiefs. Chiefs are the most well supported, and popular team in South Africa.
The Soweto Derby between Chiefs and Pirates is among the biggest in the world. As an aside, the Soweto Derby is the only derby in the world where opposition fans are seated together in the stadium. There would be mass carnage for instance if Liverpool and Manchester United fans sat together for one of their derbies.
But back to Chiefs. Since they have achieved so little in the last 10 years - are they still worth the massive fanfare? My answer is no, though many will disagree.
There are many examples of a financially wealthy football team failing to win trophies throughout history, like for example Liverpool who went 30 years between winning the league title from the 1989/1990 to 2019/2020 seasons.
Well, Chiefs are on their way to matching that run as they’re just 20 behind Liverpool now.
I can still remember when I began reporting on PSL football in the 2010/2011 season, it also had been 10 years since Chiefs had won the league.
Still, there was no questioning back then who was the most popular team in the land. I can remember the first time I attended a Chiefs training session at Naturena.
The car park was littered with flashy cars belonging to the players, and I wondered how they could afford such extravagance. It was also the first time I saw a BMW SUV with a matte pink finish with sparkles.
Glamour Boys indeed. Whether they can continue to be the team that glitters this season remains to be seen, but as new coach Nasreddine Nabi reiterated throughout his short time with Chiefs - they will need time before they can become a true force in South African football.
Even with players like 18-year-old Mfundo Vilakazi emerging as a star for the future, it will take more than just a few individuals to steer Chiefs back anywhere close to the team worthy of their massive fanbase.
* The views expressed are not necessarily the views of IOL or Independent Media.
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