Chiefs looking at transfer market for immediate challenges: Kaizer Motaung

Kaizer Chiefs owner Kaizer Motaung believes the club’s rebuilding process will start to bear fruit soon.

In his Christmas address to supporters Motaung noted all Chiefs' youth teams had won trophies in the past year indicating the future is bright for the club. He said for the more immediate challenges Amakhosi will be “looking at the transfer market”.

“We embarked on a rebuilding process, which I believe is going to bear fruit,” Motaung wrote ahead of Chiefs' return from the pause for the World Cup with their DStv Premiership match against Lamontville Golden Arrows Golden at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.

“The coaches have had a difficult task embarking on this process while trying to make sure we compete for honours.

“It’s not an easy exercise, but I have faith that we are on the right track.

“Our development teams have done very well. They all won trophies, which tells you a story of what is happening in our development structures next door [at Chiefs' academy, adjacent to their headquarters in Naturena].

“I am very happy with what is happening there. We may not be able to see the fruits of our development immediately but we are on the right track.”

Motaung noted that a Fifa ban on transfers in the 2020-21 season had made life difficult for Amakhosi, but also fast-tracked the promotions of promising academy products to the first team.

“We must remember that the team is where it is today perhaps due to the Fifa ban not enabling us to sign players. We were forced to look inside and we promoted some good youngsters.

“In this new [year] we will see more of that happening, while we are also looking at the transfer market to deal with our immediate challenges.

“I think we are going to see the fruits of our development soon in terms of the youngsters who have come into the first team and I do hope our supporters will give these youngsters a chance to find their feet.

“We gear ourselves to look for a better season than last season. Ultimately our goal is to get to the top and stay there, where we belong.”

Amakhosi have endured a torrid period, going an unprecedented seven past seasons without silverware.

They changed approach ahead of the 2022-23 season, forsaking results-orientated coaches who brought neither eye-catching football nor trophies. Chiefs appointed 49-year-old ex-player and long-time assistant Arthur Zwane as head coach, who promised to bring back the stylish football the club is associated with, rebuild with a youth emphasis and bring back silverware.

So far the results have been mixed. Chiefs are in fourth place in the Premiership and exited the MTN8 in the semifinals.

In his message, Motaung also congratulated Qatar on staging a “beautiful 2022 World Cup” and sent his best wishes to Brazil great Pele, who has been ill in hospital with cancer.

Chiefs' chair thanked those who played a role in a glittering playing and administrative career, resulting in his receiving an honorary doctorate from the University of Cape Town in 2022.