Kaizer Chiefs don’t want to have chairs and bottles thrown at them again

Kaizer Chiefs want to put their troubles of 2017-18 behind them – namely‚ and bluntly put‚ they do not want chairs and bottles thrown at them in the coming season‚ says defender Ramahlwe Mphahlele.

Two notable unsavoury incidents in April marked the end of Steve Komphela’s almost three-year trophyless tenure at Chiefs.

Missiles were thrown at the players after a dismal 3-0 league thrashing by Chippa United at FNB Stadium.

Two weeks later a violent pitch invasion followed Chiefs’ 2-0 Nedbank Cup semifinal defeat against Free State Stars at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Mphahlele said Chiefs do not want any repeats of such scenes as they embark on a new season under new coach Giovanni Solinas‚ which begins when Amakhosi meet Mamelodi Sundowns in the Absa Premiership’s opener at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

Speaking at this week’s launch of the MTN8‚ where Chiefs meet Stars in the quarterfinals at FNB next Saturday (August 11)‚ Mphahlele said: “It starts now. Of course you guys know that we haven’t won a trophy in three seasons‚ and it’s very hard – it’s hard for us as players.

“We want to win. We’re playing Free State Stars – a very good team. And they have a very good coach. And they beat us last season in the semifinals of the Nedbank.

“And you guys know what happened after that game – we were hit with bottles and chairs and stuff.

“It’s a new season. The nice thing about football is that it always gives you another opportunity to try and win again. So we’ll give it a go and try and go all the way.”

Chiefs have been strengthened by the signing of 2015-16 PSL Footballer of the Season Khama Billiat from Sundowns.

But Solinas’s late arrival‚ three weeks into the preseason‚ after a prolonged search for a coach by Amakhosi’s management‚ makes the Soweto giants something of an unknown quantity as they seek to end their trophy drought.

“We’re preparing‚ and preseason is not easy with the new coach and we’re trying to work on the team and trying to improve them team‚” Mphahlele said.

“It’s going to be difficult. Let’s go and see if we can go and try and get one or two trophies.

“But look‚ I think it’s about time as players that we raise the bar a little bit‚ and start showing it out there.

“It’s good when we talk‚ but it’s about time we show on the pitch that we must put something for Kaizer Chiefs.

“The club deserves a trophy.”