Kaizer Chiefs must tread carefully with how they integrate new players into the team

Kaizer Chiefs’ supporters have waited with bated breath for this milestone, and that’s why the team mustn’t jinx things by fixing what isn’t broken.

Chiefs won their first three league games in a row on Wednesday night — for the first time since the triumphant 2014/2015 season. It has been a delightful start to the Betway Premiership campaign for the Amakhosi faithful, so much so that they are daring to dream once again.

Chiefs’ three consecutive wins came without head coach Nasreddine Nabi, who is back home in Tunisia due to a family emergency.

In his absence, his trusted lieutenants Khalil Ben Youssef and Cedric Kaze have been steering the ship with aplomb, achieving incredible results. Not only have Chiefs won all three matches since the start, but they’ve also kept consecutive clean sheets — a major improvement after last season’s disastrous league run.

Ben Youssef was modest before the 1-0 win over Richards Bay on Wednesday, admitting that the team wasn’t at its best in the previous victories against Stellenbosch and Polokwane City. Given that there’s still a lot of work to be done, the unveiling of the trio Etiosa Igodharo, Luke Baartman and Asanele Velebayi is an exciting prospect for Chiefs fans.

The three signings will certainly add depth — Baartman and Velebayi are promising talents for the future, while Igodharo has already shown glimpses of his scoring prowess. With these arrivals, Chiefs have now signed nine players, including Paseka Mako, Ethan Chislett,Thabiso Monyane, Nkanyiso Shinga, Siphesihle Ndlovu and Flavio Silva who is facing a mammoth task to endear himself.

Of that group, only Mako, Monyane and Ndlovu have made their debuts, while the other three were awaiting paperwork — something that has since been finalised. Once the new players blend into the team, Chiefs could very well relive the triumphs of 2015 and return to the pinnacle of South African football for the first time in 11 years.

However, it will be important for the club and the technical team to tread carefully with their approach and not fix what isn’t broken — at least for now. I agree with Ben Youssef: Chiefs are still far from being a well-oiled machine and are not yet at the level required to challenge for the league title this season.

That said, the players have shown more hunger and determination than before — something that deserves praise. When Gaston Sirino arrived at Chiefs last season, he was expected to be a game-changer, bringing the hunger and skillset that saw him win multiple titles at Sundowns.

But it wasn’t to be — he looked like a shadow of his former self. This season, though, Sirino has picked himself up and is showing real grit in his game. He won the match for Chiefs against Richards Bay (“the Natal Rich Boys”) with a well-taken goal early in the second half, rolling back the years.

Sirino’s drive seems to have rubbed off on the young players — Mduduzi Shabalala, Wandile Duba and Mfundo Vilakazi — as the quartet complement each other well. In the build-up to Sirino’s goal, Duba laid the ball in front of the box for Shabalala, who cleverly dummied it, letting it run through to the Uruguayan.

Vilakazi, meanwhile, made a stellar cameo as he searched for a cushion goal, benefiting from the space created by Sirino’s relentless attacking play.

Lastly, after receiving criticism in his debut season, Ricardo Cross has grown in leaps and bounds this campaign. Cross has been impactful in transitions and counter-attacks, and is rightfully keeping the experienced Mako on the bench — for now.

That must be pleasing for Cross, as his hard work is paying off after Nabi admitted last season that they lacked a left-sided player with the right profile for his system.

Again, Chiefs are not yet at their best, and their character will be tested against the reigning champions Sundowns next week. But for now, the technical team must avoid unnecessary changes — and let momentum work in their favour.