Kaizer Chiefs’ co-coach Cedric Kaze has lifted the lid on the club’s relatively quiet January transfer window, while also explaining the benefits of having a full-blown squad ahead of the restart of the season.
Chiefs had a decent first half of the campaign, finishing fourth on the Betway Premiership standings with 24 points, four behind log leaders Orlando Pirates. They also signalled their intentions of doing well on the continent by qualifying for the CAF Confederation Cup group stage.
Life After Nabi and a Strong First Half
Amakhosi’s run largely happened under Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef after the club parted ways with their superior and head coach, Nasreddine Nabi.
With Kaze and Ben Youssef expected to lead the team at least until the end of the season, they are also expected to have a say in the arrival and departure of players this summer. The club, however, hasn’t been linked with any players so far - a stark contrast to their rivals, Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, who have been bolstering their squads.
Why Chiefs Have Stayed Quiet in the Market
Kaze, speaking at the club’s base in Naturena on Monday ahead of their league restart at home at FNB Stadium against Golden Arrows on Tuesday night (7:30 pm kick-off), revealed why the club has been quiet so far this window.
“I am very happy with the squad that we have now,” Kaze said. “We practically signed 12 players at the beginning of the season. The struggles during pre-season, which didn’t put the new players in good condition to play, were lessened. We’ve had time to rectify that.
“We are pretty sure that we are going to see quality from everyone, including the new players. But January is a tricky period; you need to be careful with how you sign players. I am not saying we won’t sign - we are looking. If there’s an opportunity, we’ll take it.”
Full Squad a Major Boost Ahead of Restart
One of the struggles Chiefs faced during pre-season was not having conditioning and fitness coach Safi Majdi. That is why Kaze is thrilled they had most of their players and backroom staff at their disposal this summer ahead of the restart, unlike rivals Pirates and Sundowns, who had many regulars away with Bafana Bafana at the recently concluded AFCON.
“I would say that it felt like a pre-season,” Kaze reflected. “We had our full squad. If you remember, we also had a few issues in the previous pre-season, starting the league without a fitness coach, as Safi Majdi couldn’t attend the pre-season in Holland due to administrative issues.
“Now, I would say that all the players are sharp and fit. They’ve worked as a group. It gave us time to try new combinations, assess what is working and what isn’t. It was very beneficial for the team.”
Focus Shifts to Golden Arrows Clash
Chiefs have been hard at work for the past three weeks, preparing for the restart after returning to training on December 28. That has given them ample time to prepare for Arrows, who are usually tough opponents.
“We are confident and ready for the game tomorrow [Tuesday night],” Kaze said. “We are playing against a team that has always given us problems, but we know what we want.
“We tried to minimise the fine margins by working on the small details and maximising them. We want to start on the front foot, as you can see that the top of the log is crowded.
“I am pretty sure that everyone wants to stay there for the coming few weeks before you can make the details later.”
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