Motaung praises offensive record but says Chiefs still want to bolster attack

Kaizer Chiefs sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jr has implied that for a team that signed only one offensive player, Gaston Sirino, ahead of the season, their offensive statistics are not bad, though admitting they still want to bolster their attack this transfer window.

Sixth-placed Chiefs have scored 16 goals from 13 league games this season. Betway Premiership leaders Mamelodi Sundowns and second-placed Orlando Pirates, who have both scored 22 from 11 outings, are the only two teams to have scored more than Amakhosi.

If Chiefs could have been tighter at the back — they have also conceded 16, the second-most in the league after 13th-placed Marumo Gallants (21) — they most likely would have won more than five matches and be higher than sixth place. 

“Sirino was the only offensive player we signed in the last window with a plan for identifying each window,” Motaung said during a media day at Chiefs' Village Naturena on Thursday.

“I know it [Chiefs' hunt for another quality striker] is an important question that'll probably come to us about this [January] window, but we look at having done that [signing only Sirino as an offensive player], still topping the chart with many of the attacking stats, scoring the third-highest number of goals even with that approach.

“So I think if we look at the chances that we've created and the chances we are missing, if we had taken our chances and not conceded as many; it's ifs and buts, but at the end of the day we are confident of the direction we are taking.

“I'd be foolish to not be doing anything in this window. We respect the players we do have but we are very aware of the areas we need to strengthen. I don't want to make excuses and say, ‘It's a tough window, clubs don't want to release players’.

“Whether it is January or June, it's the same; clubs always want to have their best players [but] you must negotiate and you must identify and close deals. That's our responsibility.

“Having said that, offensively is the area we have wanted to bolster since the beginning of the season.”

Polokwane City and Bafana Bafana winger Oswin Appollis and Swiss striker Ruben Del Campo are among players linked to Amakhosi during the January transfer window.

Motaung insisted Chiefs would love to be transparent and share the names of players they are targeting, but said they cannot in respect of the clubs those players are attached to.

“We're engaging with many clubs, with many players but it's disrespectful to come out and speak about other clubs' players.

“I know people want information and the progress and we'd love to share that but we respect our colleagues from other clubs.”

After a 1-0 league “home” defeat against Lamontville Golden Arrows at Moses Mabhida Stadium on the weekend, Chiefs meet third-placed Sekhukhune United in a tough clash at the same venue on Sunday.

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