Arthur Zwane points to Downs as the blueprint to success for Chiefs | Breaking News

Arthur Zwane knows how it feels to dominate in the domestic league. His decade-long Kaizer Chiefs career saw him lift over 15 major trophies, including two league titles and a continental trophy. Placed at the helm on an interim basis after the axing of Stuart Baxter, Zwane has somewhat singled out recently crowned DStv Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns as the blueprint to emulate as Amakhosi look to turn around their fortunes. And although an unlikely admirer of the Tshwane giants, Zwane was full of praise for the high flying Downs, who wrapped up the 2021/22 title with four games to spare. FARPost picked four factors Zwane feels the Naturena-based side needs to sort out to close the gap on Downs. 

Consistency in the coaching team

Having been part of the Chiefs structures for as many years, the man affectionately known as 10111 knows how much the Once Mighty Amakhosi bears the scars of multiple coaching changes. Since Baxter was around in 2015, Steve Komphela, Giovanni Solinas, Ernst Middendorp and Gavin Hunt tried to stamp their authority on the squad. The former Bafana Bafana winger gives an example of Pitso Mosimane at Sundowns and how management stuck with him since taking over in December 2012. 

“When you look at how things are, you can say it will take a while [to turn Chiefs into a title-challenging team], but rest assured we’re getting closer. If you remember very well, I’ll make an example with Coach Pitso when he was at Sundowns, several times he was close to being sacked, and because the president [Patrice Motsepe] believed in him, look at where Sundowns is. Even when he’s no longer with Sundowns, there is continuity almost two years after leaving,” Zwane responded to FARPost during a press briefing. Manqoba Mngqithi and Rulani Mokwena, who served as Mosimane’s assistants, have continued from where he left off, delivering two successive league titles.

Get recruitment right  

The Amakhosi interim boss highlighted Downs’ recruitment as the key behind their ability to win trophies. He believes they hold all the trump cards in the transfer market, citing their excellent scouting coordination as something the Soweto giants need to master. “When they [Sundowns] bring in players, you can see why they are doing that. That’s what we are trying to do now, not that we are copying Sundowns; Kaizer Chiefs has done that several times in the past. We haven’t been getting things right for some reasons,” Zwane admitted.

Baxter defended the club after it missed all its transfer targets in the January window, saying it was not a sign of lack of ambition. He, however, admitted they would have loved to sign Bafana star Teboho Mokoena, who ended up at Sundowns. The quality of players Chiefs have signed in recent seasons has come under scrutiny, while Sundowns have continually made worthy additions.

Consistent playing pattern 

Interestingly, Muhsin Ertugral, who had two stints with Chiefs, believes the club needs a “long term plan”, including a clear style of play and philosophy. “Chiefs shouldn’t be playing a transition game, they have always been a team that dominates matches, so they need to find new strategies; when the fans are at the stadiums, they want to see a certain type of football, win in a certain way, and I think Chiefs have enough quality in the team, so they need to look in the details, what is the philosophy and I know there are capable people there,” Ertugral told FARPost early this year. 

Zwane seems to concur with him, again, citing the Brazilians as a club with a consistent playing style “come rain, come sunshine”. “We have to change the approach, tweak it there and there and be firm on how we want to play as a club. Win or lose, Sundowns will play with the same tempo, the same rhythm; you can see the self-belief in their players,” added Zwane. 

Intimidating aura

Gone are the days when visiting teams shuddered at the sight of Tinashe Nengomasha, Cyril Nzama, Patrick Mabedi, Brian Baloyi and Collins Mbesuma in the tunnel. Zwane knows how much that fear factor won them games even before they trotted onto the turf. “They [Sundowns] have that intimidating aura, they have got that in their mind, they’ve already won the game [before they kick the ball]. They are more like us when we were still playing; we had that; we would intimidate opposition before we even got onto the field. 

“In the tunnel, we will be telling them [opponents] that we will beat the hell out of you, which is something that has been lacking in the team. We were so confident, and we had that aura. We‘re focusing on that,” he said. Clinton Larsen, whose Summerfield Dynamos were handed a 5-0 drubbing in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinal, admitted the stage was frightening for his players even though Downs fielded a second-string side. But how long will it take for Amakhosi to catch up? Only time will tell! 

Please follow and like us: