POLL | Will Molefi Ntseki bring back the Kaizer Chiefs glory days?

Molefi Ntseki's appointment as the new head coach of Kaizer Chiefs has sparked strong debate, with some saying he should be given time to prove himself and others believing it will be a failed experiment.

Ntseki's appointment was announced on Wednesday. He replaces Arthur Zwane, who will now be an assistant coach alongside Dillon Sheppard. Ntseki was previously head of technical and youth development at Amakhosi and is a former Bafana Bafana coach.

He's had limited club coaching experience, mostly in the division below the PSL.

He has, however, had success at junior level, guiding the U17s to the 2015 World Cup, before taking over the men's national team on an interim and then permanent basis. He failed to qualify for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations and was dismissed. Thereafter, he joined Chiefs' back-room staff.

His job will be to end an eight-season trophy drought, where the previous longest was one.

Chiefs chair Kaizer Motaung Snr said Ntseki would bring experience and stability to the team “while we improve our performance”.

“We would like to congratulate coach Ntseki and thank him for accepting this huge responsibility. We know it’s not an easy task, but we believe his experience and knowledge will help us improve and achieve our goals as Kaizer Chiefs”.

Ntseki's selection came as a surprise to many. Social media, water-cooler and dinner-table discussions were filled with predictions on whether he will bring back the glory days at Chiefs.

EFF deputy president and avid football fan Floyd Shivambu weighed in: “Does Molefi Ntseki have premier-level coaching experience and achievements, or is it an appointment of faith?

“The mighty Amakhosi will revolve in the same space of mediocrity and inconsistency if the appointment is just a gesture of faith. Football is a scientific sport.”

Former Bafana Bafana coach and four-time premiership-winning coach Gordon Igesund said Ntseki should be given time and space.

“Ntseki has been given the opportunity to coach Chiefs, I think we should give him the opportunity to do his job. They employed him for a reason, they feel that he knows the players and it’s difficult to make a judgment call on a coach before he has even started his job.

“I think it was a big decision, but a lot of clubs are getting coaches that are inexperienced in certain departments, but I don’t think he (Ntseki) is that inexperienced.

“He knows the players well and the philosophy or ethos of Kaizer Chiefs that has to be implemented,” Igesund said.

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