Khanye doubts Kaizer Chiefs trophy chances despite Toyota Cup win

iDiski TV analyst Junior Khanye believes Kaizer Chiefs are still not equipped to win a major trophy in the 2026-27 season, despite their pre-season success in lifting the Toyota Cup.

Chiefs edged Zimbabwean Premier League champions Scottland FC 1-0 in Rustenburg on Sunday in their final warm-up match before the new Betway Premiership campaign, securing the Toyota Cup in the process.

The victory rounded off a pre-season that also included a tour of Spain, where Amakhosi drew two matches and lost one. The club are preparing for a demanding campaign in which they will compete in all domestic competitions as well as the CAF Confederation Cup.

However, former Chiefs winger Khanye remains unconvinced that his old side have done enough in the transfer market to turn themselves into genuine contenders for silverware.

“For me I can’t say they will win one trophy,” Khanye told iDiski TV, stressing that his view is rooted in what he sees as shortcomings in squad planning.

Squad building concerns

Khanye argued that Kaizer Chiefs have not addressed key weaknesses in their squad, despite having the financial means to do so.

“Chiefs have the resources they can buy players that’s my point. They should go to the market and bring in players,” he said.

He added that the club needed a more coherent long-term strategy in player development to reduce the need for constant recruitment.

“They should structure their development in order to avoid signing a lot of players in the future, like what [Orlando] Pirates did with the likes of Rele [Relebohile Mofokeng] and [Mbekezeli] Mbokazi and [Mohau] Nkotha,” Khanye explained.

Using an analogy, he urged supporters and observers not to allow affection for the club to cloud their judgment about the current squad.

“We have to be realistic and not let love blind us. It’s like when you love a t-shirt and realise its colour is wearing off if I don’t have other clothes, I have to just continue wearing it. But if I have options…” he said, suggesting Chiefs do have options but are not fully utilising them.

Comparisons with Sundowns and Pirates

Khanye pointed to recent examples from rivals Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates to underline his argument that success is built over time through quality recruitment and development.

“Yes, you need luck in football, but it must meet you halfway. Look at [Mamelodi] Sundowns they dominated for eight years locally and finally won a star last season. Pirates have been consistent in playing good football and finally they won the league,” he said.

“That’s my point. If you don’t have quality and you want miracles from the coach, it’s a mountain to climb because a coach can’t coach and play,” Khanye added, arguing that too much responsibility is being placed on the technical team to compensate for gaps in the playing squad.

Toyota Cup win ‘not enough’

While acknowledging the morale boost provided by the Toyota Cup success, Khanye insisted that Chiefs still face significant work if they are to end their wait for a major title.

“Chiefs still has a lot of work to do. Well done to them for winning the Toyota Cup but if they want to win a trophy, they must stop the Cut and Paste,” he said, using “Cut and Paste” to criticise what he sees as short-term, piecemeal squad changes.

“Chiefs is a big club, and they know it too and they can win nice things if they can do things right,” he added.

Kaizer Chiefs will open their Betway Premiership campaign looking to build on their pre-season, with expectations high as they juggle league commitments, domestic cups and a return to continental competition in the CAF Confederation Cup.

Khanye’s full breakdown of the Toyota Cup match between Kaizer Chiefs and Scottland FC, as well as his broader assessment of Amakhosi’s prospects for 2026-27, is available on the official iDiski TV YouTube channel.