Open letter to Kaizer Motaung

KAIZER Motaung has never been a man of many words but such is the situation at Kaizer Chiefs currently that even his silence is now deafening.

Granted, he has given most of the club’s leadership to his children, probably thinking, “the kids must learn because I am eventually not going to be around”. But at what cost, Bra K?

Surely it must pain you to see Chiefs struggling as they are. No doubt your heart bleeds at seeing your pride and joy losing three matches in succession, as they have done lately? Does it not give you sleepless nights that Chiefs are now a mid-table side that never features in championship discussions?

The thing is that the legacy being tarnished is not that of your children, Bra K – it is yours.

It is Kaizer Motaung we think of when Kaizer Chiefs are mentioned, and right now, that name is seriously being sullied. Right now, that name which has always been synonymous with glamour, flamboyance and success is fast being trampled on. Right now, all those memories of trophy-laden seasons courtesy of classy household name players and larger-than-life coaches backed by passionate and colourful followers are being eroded fast.

We are now getting close to a decade of rot – 10 seasons without major silverware. It is a rot the Kaizer Motaung who risked his life to leave Orlando Pirates and form this club would never have tolerated. The trend-setting Kaizer Motaung who was the first man to use the experience earned from playing overseas to form his own club would not have allowed things to get this far.

But then again, age does slow even the best of us down, doesn’t it? And damn, it would appear that you are in slow motion lately, Chincha Guluva.

A younger Motaung was known to walk into the dressing room at half-time of a match Chiefs were losing or playing poorly in to give the players a tongue-lashing, reminding them whose name it was that would be plastered all over the following day’s newspapers.

It was that attitude of not allowing mediocrity near the gold and black jersey that helped ensure Chiefs were kings of local football in years and seasons gone by, remember?

Lately, though, you seem to have taken a back seat. And it is proving costly.

You are turning 80 in October, Bra K. Mark the milestone by shaking things up at Chiefs. Hire a marquee coach; go out there and get your man, as you have done in previous years

Once that is done, recruit the players. You, and only you, know what makes a Chiefs player. Find them and sign them up to ensure that the most followed football club in the country is a serious contender next season.

It is the right thing to do, if not for the ‘Peace Loving’ Amakhosi faithful who have been the laughing stock of their adversaries, then do it for you. Do it for the name ‘Kaizer Motaung’.

I know you don’t like to speak much, and I actually do not expect you to, but I know you are a man of action, Chincha. Act now, Bra K.