Kaizer Junior on Chiefs’ ‘new phase’: ‘Since I was born this has been my trajectory’

01 July 2021 - 12:51 By Marc Strydom
subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now
A file photo of Kaizer Chiefs' chairman Kaizer Motaung (back left), football manager Bobby Motaung (centre) and former player Kaizer Motaung Jnr during a match. Motaung Jnr has been appointed the club's sporting director.
A file photo of Kaizer Chiefs' chairman Kaizer Motaung (back left), football manager Bobby Motaung (centre) and former player Kaizer Motaung Jnr during a match. Motaung Jnr has been appointed the club's sporting director.
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images

Kaizer Motaung Junior has said that being appointed to a senior management role at Kaizer Chiefs was part of a path he had laid down since he was born.

The 39-year-old son of chairman and founder Kaizer Motaung Senior and ex-Chiefs striker was appointed sporting director on Thursday.

Groomed for senior management‚ Motaung Junior has long been thought of as the future of the club’s administration.

Motaung Junior‚ new head of technical and the academy Molefi Ntseki and long-time football manager Bobby Motaung will combine to administer Chiefs’ football operations.

An immediate objective will be reversing their struggles of an unprecedented six seasons without silverware.

“To reach this stage in my career‚ since I was born this has basically been my trajectory‚” Motaung Junior said.

“I started playing at the age of five and if I look back since then‚ that signalled my direction.

“Coming off the back of my playing career it was clear that I wanted to focus on the next stage‚ which is the administration and strategic side of football‚ and business side of the game.

“Having finished my degree in financial management it was quite an intentional move so that I could be able to understand the aspects of the business of football.

“This is what drives what happens on the field.

“And without the correct business principles‚ and that they align with the technical ones on the field‚ there is no footballing machine and institution.

“So it was vital for me to go and arm myself with that wealth of knowledge and understand what it takes to be in this industry of football.

“And I feel that together with my experience on the field‚ and now off the field for many years‚ I think I have gathered enough momentum to really put my hand up and put my two cents forward in helping the organisation reach its goals.

“I think I have a very sound knowledge of the culture and playing philosophy that this club is made of‚ and I look forward to being able to contribute again to making that a reality on the pitch and into other areas in the organisation.”

Motaung Junior‚ after a spell for the reserves of 1860 Munich‚ scored 30 goals in 106 appearances for Chiefs from 2003 to 2014. Since his playing retirement he qualified for a BCom in financial management from Varsity College and has been working at Chiefs without a title‚ observing the machinations of the club’s administration‚ and the industry.

He said the brains trust assembled by Amakhosi ahead of the 2021-22 season represents a significant shift in strategy — crucial perhaps for a club where repeating an approach has increasingly not brought silverware.

“I think the appointment of two positions that were not there before as a head of technical with Molefi Ntseki‚ and now sporting director‚ really signals our direction in our footballing strategy and where we want to go as a club‚” he said.

“It’s going to be a great honour to work behind some great football minds‚ like Mr Ntseki and our coach Stuart Baxter‚ and the likes of coach Arthur Zwane and our football manager [Motaung]‚ who are all part of the structural set-up in ensuring success.

“It’s a new phase in our organisation. And I think that it is a significant shift. And I think at this moment in time we know that a shift is needed to bring success.”

Chiefs have a last opportunity to end their six-season barren spell in the Caf Champions League final against Al Ahly in Casablanca‚ Morocco on July 17.


subscribe Just R20 for the first month. Support independent journalism by subscribing to our digital news package.
Subscribe now