OPINION – Chiefs are trending in the wrong direction

Signs of strain are starting to show.

It has taken a couple of months, but Kaizer Chiefs again bear the look of a side nowhere near the top of the South African food chain.

ALSO READ: Chiefs’ Kaze speaks on Ntwari substitution snub

Four wins from their opening five league games had fans pouring back into the stadiums and some believing that Chiefs might actually launch a challenge this season to the likes of Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates.

Chiefs’ mediocrity

Since then, however, while the fans have continued to come through the gates, Chiefs have slipped into another maelstrom of mediocrity.

Head coach Nasreddine Nabi is in some kind of limbo, with Chiefs yet to confirm his departure, even though the Tunisian is back in his home country, and saying himself that he has left.

Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef, the two interim co-head coaches, did a good job initially, when Nabi had to go back home before the start of the season after his wife was involved in a serious road accident.

Now that their appointment is more permanent, however, signs of strain are starting to show. Nowhere was a leadership vacuum more evident at Chiefs than in Sunday’s farcical situation involving goalkeeper Fiacre Ntwari in their Carling Black Label Knockout last 16 defeat to Stellenbosch.

Ntwari was given his first start in almost 11 months for Chiefs against Stellies. And the Rwandan shot-stopper wasn’t having it when Chiefs had Bruce Bvuma in full kit and ready to come on for the penalty shoot-out.

In the end, the player got his way and the substitution didn’t happen. But it certainly wasn’t a good look for Ntwari or Chiefs, especially as Chiefs then lost the shootout.

The signs are worrying

This is the fourth domestic game in a row that Chiefs have failed to win. They are still in the Caf Confederation Cup, while they also have their defence of the Nedbank Cup to come next year.

ALSO READ: Ten-man Stellies dump Chiefs out of Carling Knockout

But the signs are worrying, especially from an attack that continues to misfire. After a 2-0 win over Stellenbosch in the Betway Premiership to start the season, Chiefs have gone ten games in a row in all competitions where they have failed to score more than once.

Chiefs need to recalibrate in the international break, or it could get very bleak.