Miracle needed by Chiefs

The famous words of that great Welsh poet Dylan Thomas spring readily to mind when contemplating Kaizer Chiefs’ latest Absa Premiership title challenge.

The problem for the Amakhosi is that however much they “rage against the dying of the light,” the likelihood is that they will, by 5pm on Saturday afternoon, be contemplating a sixth straight season without South Africa’s greatest domestic prize.

Chiefs showed plenty of ‘rage’ on May 7 in Polokwane, as they shredded league leaders Ajax 4-0, with by far their best performance of the season.

Yet, even if they show similar qualities in Durban against AmaZulu on Friday, it will still require an almighty blow-out by both Ajax and Orlando Pirates to hand them the championship.

For the record, only an Ajax defeat, and a Pirates draw or defeat will be enough for the Amakhosi.

Chiefs have been talking a good game – that has never been a problem.

Kaizer Motaung was all bravado last week as he attacked the South African Football Association, arguing that they didn’t communicate properly, and “forgot we were still in the running,” when they called up Siphiwe Tshabalala, Itumeleng Khune and Reneilwe Letsholonyane to the Bafana squad.

In the end, of course, Motaung got his way, and the three players returned to the club. The likelihood is, however, that it will be a final defiant act in another title failure.

There has been plenty to admire in Vladimir Vermezovic’s Chiefs this season. At the back, the Amakhosi have stood as firm as anyone, with Thomas Sweswe, Valery Nahayo and Dominic Isaacs, all turning in commendable campaigns

The Serbian coach plays an enterprising brand of football, his side possessing a fluidity in attack that Orlando Pirates, for one, struggle to match.

Vermezovic clearly encourages his fullbacks, Jimmy Tau and Punch Masenamela, to get forward and often it has yielded excellent results. Tau has been particularly effective.

Tshabalala continues to display the massive improvements in his game that began to sparkle in Carlos Alberto Parreira’s camp in Brazil shortly before the 2010 Fifa World Cup.

Knowledge Musona, meanwhile, started the season looking like he might might match Collins Mbesuma’s memorable 25-goal effort, when Chiefs last won the title in 2004/5.

As Musona suffered a dip in form in the new year, however, so Chiefs’ attacking flaws began to show.

In terms of goal-grabbing, the side has little depth.

If Tshabalala and Kaizer Motaung Jnr have weighed in with six goals apiece, the likes of Abia Nale, Sthembiso Ngcobo and Mandla Masango have to be among the first candidates for the transfer list when Chiefs come to contemplate next season.

The signing of Stanton Lewis in January also yielded unimpressive results.

For all the praise one can give Vermezovic, the Chiefs coach must also take responsibility for a fallibility in the Amakhosi against weaker opposition.

Defeats at home to Santos and Vasco da Game, just ahead of Soweto derbies against Pirates, speak of a failure to focus his team for matches they really ought to have won.

Vermezovic was also responsible for arguably the tactical brain-explosion of the season, when he decided to leave Tshabalala and Musona on the bench for the May 1 game at Sundowns.

Chiefs’ aforementioned lack of depth meant they missed at least two clear chances, and were 2-0 down and dead and buried by the time the pair entered the field.

Musona and Tshabalala’s importance to the Amakhosi was then highlighted in the subsequent thumping of leaders Ajax.

Such factors have left Chiefs praying for a Saturday afternoon miracle. In all likelihood, for the Amakhosi, the light will all but die.