Today’s Kaizer Chiefs players are clueless on the club’s values, says legendary Nengomasha

Kaizer Chiefs legend Tinashe Nengomasha believes that the reason why the club has gone two seasons without a trophy‚ something unheard of in his playing days‚ is because the current crop of players have forgotten Amakhosi’s values.

The Zimbabwean legend even hit out at the club’s foreign contingent‚ saying that they’re unfazed by leaving their country only to sit on the bench at Chiefs.

Nengomasha’s countrymen‚ Michelle Katsvairo and Edmore Chirambadare‚ along with Zambian Lewis Macha and Camaldine Abraw of Togo‚ have failed to set the scene alight at Amakhosi.

Willard Katsande has carried the torch with Gustavo Paez showing promise.

“When I arrived at Chiefs‚ things were different‚” Nengomasha said.

• Komphela dribbles his way past questions about Kaizer Chiefs' plans for next seasonKaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela is cautious in his prognosis as to whether the team will be fierce in the transfer market in the off-season‚ though he admitted Amakhosi “are thin in certain areas”. 

“We had people who had walked the road‚ telling us how it’s done. People like bra Ace (Khuse) and Doctor (Khumalo).

“And then there were people like Brian (Baloyi) and Shuffle (Jabu Mahlangu) who had done well in the Mandela Cup. We were groomed and taught the right way.

“I remember (former captain) Cyril Nzama would joke that you are a foreigner and shouldn’t get injured. You must play!

“He didn’t say it in a bad way that would piss me off. He was giving me confidence and pushing me to excel. He was right.

• Steve Komphela rues Chiefs’ lost 18 points after another season without a trophyKaizer Chiefs have only themselves to blame for failing to turn losses into draws and draws into wins‚ amounting to 18 points‚ said coach Steve Komphela after seeing his team finish fourth in the Absa Premiership. 

“I was a foreigner and I had to play because coming all the way from Zimbabwe‚ you have to show why they brought you here.

“Certain traditions are being lost. I am sorry to say this but we’ve got foreign players – if you look at this and the previous seasons – who are comfortable with being on the bench.

“I strongly believe that if you get a foreign player‚ they must bring something that you don’t have.

"You go back and look at the days of Collins Mbesuma. Look at (Leonardo) Castro and Khama (Billiat) at Mamelodi Sundowns.

• Molangoane’s ‘Tight’ statistics tell the story of his influence at Kaizer ChiefsAt 28 years old and probably at the peak of his career‚ Joseph “Tight” Molangoane is proving to be the linchpin in this tepid Kaizer Chiefs side – and the numbers are there to prove it. 

“There’s Tendai (Ndoro) at Orlando Pirates. But you look at Chiefs‚ only Willard in their foreign quotas is consistent. What are we doing at the end of the day?

“You end up destroying the next generation of players from that country if you bring a foreigner who isn’t playing.”

Nengomasha made almost 300 appearances for Amakhosi in the decade he spent at the club.

Having hung up his boots‚ is working on getting his coaching badges along with serving as an ambassador of the Cosafa Cup to be played in Phokeng and Moruleng from June 25 to July 9.

• Kaizer Chiefs striker Gustavo Paez thanks coach Steve Komphela for faith shown in himGustavo Paez believes that he can play a more influential role for Kaizer Chiefs having adjusted well to South African football and established himself as a first team regular. 

The former midfield hardman has called on Amakhosi to do some self-introspection in this period but most importantly educate the current crop of players on what it means to play for Chiefs.

“We were told that Ewert ‘The Lip’ Nene died for Teenage (Dladla)‚” Nengomasha said.

“That history was engraved in our hearts. Do these current players know that there are people who died for Chiefs?

“Do they know that there is a mom – like captain Chincha Guluva (Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung) would say – who spends her last cent to come to the stadium to watch Chiefs and in her house there is probably nothing.

• Kaizer Chiefs strongman Katsande becomes an Orlando Pirates fanJust for this week‚ Willard Katsande will be an Orlando Pirates fan as two huge games for Kaizer Chiefs’ archrivals stand to rescue Amakhosi’s league title race. 

“There are a lot of people who do that. Some come as far as Durban. Their lives are at risk on the road‚ rushing to the stadium.

“The perfect guy there is ‘Shabba’ (Siphiwe Tshabalala). He is doing everything he can to lead the team.

“If more players could take something from his positive energy‚ we would be talking a different story now.”

- TMG Digital/TMG Sport