Johannesburg - Kaizer Chiefs Team Manager, Bobby Motaung, has given his assessment of the club's season in the league and cup competitions.
According to the Soccer-Laduma website, the Glamour Boys failed to defend their PSL title and also crashed out of all cup competitions.
However, Motaung has explained that bad luck was partly to do with Chiefs' barren run in the 2013/14 campaign.
He told the club's official website, "Looking at CAF, the travelling and conditions that we played under, especially playing in the DRC was the most torrid period of all the challenges we faced this season. This is the season of a kind if you check it, we played in the DRC against AS Vita Club at Tata Raphael Stadium, in Kinshasa where two weeks ago people died when TP Mazembe played AS Vita Club."
"Who knows what would have happened should we have won. On the playing part we dominated AS Vita Club under a hostile environment and unbearable heat conditions, we missed clear chances and they score what you can term a ‘magical’ goal. Luck was not on our side, if you look how we continued to dominate them in the second leg at FNB Stadium, we were a different class from AS Vita Club. Luck was not on our side."
He added, “Similarly, we played well against Bidvest Wits and lost out on a penalty shootout (in the Nedbank Cup) which is not usual, which showed it was not meant to be our season. The champions (Mamelodi Sundowns) did well to win the league, but we missed out with only two points after going through a tough season with so many challenges. Our team was tested this season for character and belief."
Chiefs' team manager has also revealed that plans were already in place to improve next season's squad. He explained that developing homegrown talent is a major part of the club's strategy.
"The review process is on. We will use the experience of this season to build up for the next season. The review will include player movements, both in and out. Some of the players have to move to allow them to gain game time elsewhere. The exit of some players will allow the other players to come in. The movement of players will be based on mutual benefit for both the club and the players. We are also looking at promoting some of the youngsters from our development as part of the bigger plan that we have for the club," concluded Motaung.
According to the Soccer-Laduma website, the Glamour Boys failed to defend their PSL title and also crashed out of all cup competitions.
However, Motaung has explained that bad luck was partly to do with Chiefs' barren run in the 2013/14 campaign.
He told the club's official website, "Looking at CAF, the travelling and conditions that we played under, especially playing in the DRC was the most torrid period of all the challenges we faced this season. This is the season of a kind if you check it, we played in the DRC against AS Vita Club at Tata Raphael Stadium, in Kinshasa where two weeks ago people died when TP Mazembe played AS Vita Club."
"Who knows what would have happened should we have won. On the playing part we dominated AS Vita Club under a hostile environment and unbearable heat conditions, we missed clear chances and they score what you can term a ‘magical’ goal. Luck was not on our side, if you look how we continued to dominate them in the second leg at FNB Stadium, we were a different class from AS Vita Club. Luck was not on our side."
He added, “Similarly, we played well against Bidvest Wits and lost out on a penalty shootout (in the Nedbank Cup) which is not usual, which showed it was not meant to be our season. The champions (Mamelodi Sundowns) did well to win the league, but we missed out with only two points after going through a tough season with so many challenges. Our team was tested this season for character and belief."
Chiefs' team manager has also revealed that plans were already in place to improve next season's squad. He explained that developing homegrown talent is a major part of the club's strategy.
"The review process is on. We will use the experience of this season to build up for the next season. The review will include player movements, both in and out. Some of the players have to move to allow them to gain game time elsewhere. The exit of some players will allow the other players to come in. The movement of players will be based on mutual benefit for both the club and the players. We are also looking at promoting some of the youngsters from our development as part of the bigger plan that we have for the club," concluded Motaung.