Comment by Morgan Bolton
Sometimes … no, hold on a minute, make that more often than not, I really hate the new fads that sweep across the internet.
Look between Y and I on your keyboard, and YOU will find out why.
Cringe, with a healthy dose of exasperated rolling of the eye. Now hold onto that feeling for just a bit longer, for that is my current sentiment towards Kaizer Chiefs.
Reams of paper and gigabytes of space have been afforded to their trophyless woes over the last decade.
What was once an edifice of glamour, the rock upon which South African football was built, the gold standard of club football in this country, is crumbling before our eyes into some freakish monstrosity – not dead, nor truly alive – shuffling along as it continues to rot away.
The downfall of Chiefs has been quite spectacular.
I wouldn’t say as spectacular as when the House of Windsor ascended the British throne in 1910, still ruled a third of the word then, only to lose almost all of its territories by the end of the century, but it’s pretty close.
Make no mistake, Chiefs remain the biggest sporting brand in the country in the consciousness of the public.
Within our sports department, we often joke that we could write a story about Itumeleng Khune sneezing, and that article would trend for the next week while generating huge numbers.
It is a jest shared across all the other major media houses and football publications.
The only problem is that Chiefs have become the punchline.
A recent statistic revealed that when it comes to financial parity, Chiefs have fallen to third behind the paragon of our football, Mamelodi Sundowns, and their Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates.
On the field, it is even more laughable.
Losing to relegation-threatened Richards Bay this past weekend was simply inexcusable for a club with the resources, wealth and player depth that the Amakhosi have.
More so when head coach Cavin Johnson and Co are fighting for top-eight qualification.
That loss is also just one of many inexcusable results the club has suffered.
Since the beginning of the year, Chiefs have won only one match across all competitions, beating Golden Arrows 1-0.
They have lost or drawn to Chippa United, Stellenbosch FC, Cape Town City, Pirates, Moroka Swallows, Milford FC, Royal AM and the aforementioned debacle to the Natal Rich Boyz, leaving them mucking about in 10th spot on the log.
In that time, they’ve only scored three goals.
Clearly, there are deep-rooted problems at the club. Players have reportedly arrived at training under the influence this season; uncertainty continues to build regarding the future of Johnson; while fan violence threatens every one of their matches.
The management seem powerless to halt the decline, while the players simply shrug their shoulders at the fiasco, stumbling along from one insipid performance to another.
Meanwhile, the owners of the club speak in ambivalent platitudes, when decisive action is required.
The slope to ignominy is slippery most of the time – just ask Swallows fans – and lest Chiefs correct their failings now, they could find themselves on the precipice sooner rather than later.
Arrogant notions that they are too big to fail must be put aside while they can still revive their fortunes.
90 + 8’| #RB 1 : 0 #KC
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) April 21, 2024
Full time score: (Mcineka 64’) Richards Bay FC 1 : 0 Kaizer Chiefs#Amakhosi4Life #DStvPrem #Khosified pic.twitter.com/YeBCZq81hG
Recently, former Chiefs legend Lucas Radebe revealed – and I paraphrase – that during his playing days, Chiefs were the only club a player would dream of representing.
Now, he said, everywhere else was the preferred option.
The truth is, as “Rhoo” alluded to, the Glamour Boys just aren’t glamorous anymore.