After Kaizer Chiefs’ heartbreaking loss to Milford FC and eventual elimination in the first round of the Nedbank Cup, interim coach Cavin Johnson has acknowledged that the team needs to be inspected.
Milford, a Motsepe Foundation Championship team, stunned Amakhosi on Sunday night by defeating them 5-4 on penalties.
The loss meant that the Chiefs’ eight-year trophy drought will continue into the ninth season, as the DStv Premiership title is also out of their grasp.
With 13 games remaining, Amakhosi are currently 14 points behind log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who have two games in hand.
The trophy drought continues
Johnson, who assumed temporary control of the Amakhosi bench following Molefi Ntseki’s dismissal from the team last year, said he is not to blame for the Chiefs’ nine-year trophy drought.
Additionally, he stated that the club must thoroughly examine the calibre of players brought into Naturena.
“As the coach now, do I have to take the nine years on my shoulders? That’s a lot of years,” Johnson said after their defeat to Milford on Sunday.
“But I think as a technical group and players, where some of them have longer contracts than I have, we must do a proper inspection going forward on what we must do to make this a better season and finish it on a high to show the public what we are doing to change the situation.”
The focus shifts to the league
He added: “I don’t know, but in the last few games and months that I have been here, maybe the [quality of] players has gone a bit different, but we are building.”
With their sights set on the league, Johnson and his Glamour Boys intend to conclude the season with a commendable standing.
Their next game is scheduled for this Saturday at the FNB Stadium against the Moroka Swallows, their longstanding Soweto rivals.
