Kaizer jnr: Quality of Chiefs' signings need to match calibre of the club

Kaizer Chiefs sporting director Kaizer Motaung jnr says their activity in the transfer market needs to match the calibre of the club.

The new sporting director resisted saying “more” when he admitted Chiefs need to have ambition in the type of signings they target — out of diplomacy and not wanting to offend those who had done the job before his appointment.

Motaung oversees head of technical and the academy Molefi Ntseki, football manager Bobby Motaung and head coach Stuart Baxter and the first team in the new structure aimed at reviving Amakhosi, who are on the verge of an unprecedented seventh season without silverware.

The January transfer window seemed to demonstrate how far Mamelodi Sundowns' bottomless wallet has reshaped the market. Sundowns, who had a 14-point lead in the DStv Premiership at the time (now 17), made classy signings in Erwin Saavedra, Teboho Mokoena and Bradley Ralani. Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, the 'big three' teams playing catch-up, made none.

Motaung suggested Chiefs had certain targets in the January transfer window, but clubs were not willing to part with them.

“For me, the team will always be looking to bring the best and I think the fans are right in that we need to make sure we can lure the best,” the son of owner Kaizer Motaung said, adding that lack of success can make such a task harder.

“Part of that is also that players always wanted to play for Kaizer Chiefs because they knew they could win trophies at Chiefs. And that's a culture we have to get back.

“We've always done business in the transfer windows. The January transfer window has always been a bit of a Joker, not just for us, but in world football — not all teams would do business then.

“We are in a rebuilding phase, so we have to be able to think smart in a market that has changed.

“I think we want to be competitive and do our supporters justice by improving how we conduct ourselves in the transfer market.

“It's not always just about what the club wants, it's about what's available and what's practical. Because right now there are some club owners who've said in publications they won't sell players to us and this person won't make a move now.

“And many times those have been the players people have been saying 'Go and buy that person'.”

Motaung was pressed on whether Chiefs had been ambitious enough in the transfer market for the past seven seasons.

“These are colleagues of mine working before my time and it would be amiss of me to comment on that. I think we would want to be as ambitious as we can for the calibre of the club that we are.

“That's why I think when you hear what supporters say, we agree with them. We want to be the best and moving forward that's what we'll look to do.”

Fifth-placed Chiefs meet Baroka FC in their Premiership match at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday night.

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