We were not pulling in same direction‚ admits Katsande as Chiefs begin life after Gavin Hunt

Kaizer Chiefs senior player Willard Katsande has admitted that the team members did not always pull in the same direction as Amakhosi pick up the pieces and begin life post the Gavin Hunt era.

Chiefs go into their penultimate match of what has been a substandard Premiership season against Lamontville Golden Arrows at FNB Stadium on Wednesday on the back of a dreadful run of 10 league games in which they won just two matches.

They have lost matches against bottom clubs Black Leopards‚ Chippa United‚ Maritzburg United and Tshakuma FC‚ and drew against Stellenbosch.

Their only wins during that awful run came against arch rivals Orlando Pirates and champions Mamelodi Sundowns in March and April.

“Obviously we are going to play an important game against Arrows and we are coming back from a defeat [against Leopards]. We want to apply our ourselves and redeem ourselves and our dignity‚” said Katsande‚ the 35-year-old Zimbabwean veteran midfielder who joined Chiefs in August 2011.

Since January 9‚ Chiefs have won just five of their 20 league matches‚ drawing eight and losing six times.

It was a terrible run of form that culminated in the termination of coach Hunt’s contract on Friday after a disheartening midweek 2-1 defeat against bottom club Leopards.

Chiefs‚ in 11th spot on the DStv Premiership log on 30 points with two matches remaining‚ go into the 5pm kickoff clash against a sharp Arrows team knowing that another failure to win will push them deeper into the hole they find themselves in.

“There is a lot still to play for so we just need to continue doing well and keep up the momentum going to the Caf Champions League semifinals [next month].”

Having topped the Premiership standings for much of last season only to lose it in the final match under former German coach Ernst Middendorp‚ Chiefs were tottering under Hunt and the team became synonymous with disjointed performances that led to just six wins in 28 matches.

“We had a good run in the league [last season] and we got a spot to play in the Caf Champions League. So we should have continued to do that but unfortunately things did not go well and we are there to be blamed.”

Chiefs became synonymous with uninspiring performances under Hunt and Katsande has put it down to people pulling in different directions.

“We should have done better,” said Katsande. “I should have done better but as a team we needed to pull in the same direction.”

Despite their domestic struggles‚ Chiefs have punched above their weight in the Caf Champions League and face Moroccan giants Wydad Casablanca in the semifinals next month.