Between eight to 10 players could be released at Kaizer Chiefs this coming week or placed on transfer, as the club starts a process of overhauling their squad.
If Chiefs caretaker coach Arthur Zwane’s comments this past weekend are anything to go by, there is a strong indication that the club has run out of patience with a number of players at the club.
Following the 2-2 draw with Swallows FC, after Amakhosi had led 1-0 at half-time, Zwane did not mince his words when he declared that the current players are just not good enough for the club.
“We were too flat. After scoring the [first] goal, it’s like we said, ‘No, we don’t want to play anymore, it’s fine. We’re good with a 1-0 lead,’” Zwane lamented.
“We didn’t want to go forward; we didn’t want to run like we were tired. So, I don’t know from what, because we had at least a full week to prepare and recharge our batteries to be ready for the game.
“So, those are the things that obviously talk to us as a club [that], going forward, who should be part of the team and who should not be part of the team, and we’re going to be realistic with that.”
Part of Amakhosi’s intention in releasing a raft of players at the end of this season is also believed to be cutting down the salary bill, with the exit of big earners such as Samir Nurkovic, Leonardo Castro and Lazarous Kambole thought to help them achieve this.
“I think we’ve been nursing some of the players’ feelings for far too long now, so things have to change,” the noted.
“I think it’s there for everyone to see, I can say things that people might see differently and people think maybe I know too much, or I’m too harsh on players.
“But the reality is, we know we didn’t have good enough players to play for this club. We had players, yes, that could play for this club but not good enough.
“Because we can’t keep repeating the same mistakes.
As I’ve said earlier on, are we improving? It kills the coaches, as if coaches are not preparing players if you look at the goals we’ve been conceding, let alone that we are not creating goal-scoring opportunities.
