Malatsi says lack of leadership is holding back struggling Kaizer Chiefs

Former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Thabiso Malatsi believes the club have regressed this season and lack the leadership needed to challenge at the top of the Betway Premiership.

Chiefs are one of only three teams yet to lose in the league this campaign, but their form has been a concern. They have secured just one victory in their past six league matches and are falling further behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns and second-placed Orlando Pirates.

The pressure increased after a disappointing 1-1 draw with Stellenbosch, a result which left Amakhosi fifth in the table. They are now nine points behind Sundowns and eight adrift of Pirates.

Their hopes of progressing in the CAF Confederation Cup are also in danger after they lost 1-0 to Red Arrows in the first leg of their second-round tie this past weekend.

Malatsi, speaking to KickOff, said the team’s performances represented a backward step compared with last season.

“Ah these people are disappointing us, there is no progress, we’re going backwards. I hear people are complaining about the management but the management is not playing, it’s the players,” he said.

“These people are not serious, they have to let them go all of them, they are terrible, they are making the supporters angry. You know when we were playing, supporters never used to get angry, they were always happy,” added Malatsi, who is known affectionately as ‘Skapie’.

Malatsi calls for local coach

The former midfielder also questioned the leadership within the current squad and suggested Kaizer Chiefs should appoint a local coach after Fernando Da Cruz’s tenure.

He said the club’s options appeared limited because Pitso Mosimane and Benni McCarthy were no longer available on the market.

“These boys are bad man, I don’t know what must happen, because now Pitso (Mosimane) is no longer there (in the market), Benni (McCarthy) as well. I think Chiefs should go for local coach to fix this team, because if you check, even the senior players at Chiefs these days, they are not leaders,” Malatsi continued.

According to Malatsi, the older members of the squad have not taken responsibility for guiding the team’s younger players.

“This thing could have been fixed, if it was us. But you look at the team, who is the senior player there? They are just seniors by ages, they don’t have leadership, they don’t motivate and encourage these (young) players that playing for this badge is not for everybody,” he said.

Malatsi added that he had expected Chiefs to improve during the current campaign, but now feared their situation could deteriorate further.

“I thought this season they were going to come good but it looks like it’s going to be worse this season.”