Chiefs legend questions leadership after cup elimination

Kaizer Chiefs legend Marks Maponyane has weighed in on the current state of his former club following their elimination from the Carling Knockout by Stellenbosch FC at Cape Town Stadium on Sunday.

Chiefs’ downfall?

Amakhosi went down 5-4 on penalties to Stellies after the game ended goalless following extra time in the round of 16 of the knockout competition. A lack of leadership on the pitch has often been cited as Chiefs’ downfall over the past few seasons.

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Current captain Zitha Kwinika and his deputy Inácio Miguel have come under fire from supporters after both failed to step up during the penalty shootout. Speaking on Radio 2000, Maponyane echoed the growing sentiment that Chiefs’ senior players have not risen to the occasion when the club needed them most.

“You must have a team that has a leader who leads by example and I don’t see that happening. If you look at Miguel, you think that the guy is not really in charge and then you look to see who can be in charge, but I don’t see anyone who can be in charge because they have not shown leadership at all,” Maponyane said to Thabiso Mosia.

“You need that leadership quality on the pitch and you don’t always need it on the bench. Sometimes you find that you have to make changes as a captain and then you’ll explain those changes to the coach later and you don’t wait until the coach says, ‘can’t you see that we are suffering here and there’.

“So, that leadership is not there and I just wonder what goes through their minds when they play the same way all the time and just rush things and nothing works. I don’t understand when (Makabi) Lilepo goes 200 km per hour and goes out of the pitch. I ask myself if the ground is too small or is the guy too fast, and all those things are confusing sometimes.”

Simba showdown

Following the FIFA break, the Soweto giants will resume their Betway Premiership campaign with a home clash against Siwelele FC on October 22.

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Chiefs have also been drawn against AS Simba in the second preliminary round of the CAF Confederation Cup, which they are expected to play just three days before their meeting with Siwelele.