Motaung Senior expresses optimism as succession plan advances

Motaung Senior expresses optimism as succession plan advances

Amakhosi chairman Kaizer Motaung revealed to SABC Sport that a succession plan is a major priority at the club, and that the process has been going on for some time.

The succession plan is the buzzword in South African football nowadays, as the current leadership across the board prepares to usher in new leadership. At Kaizer Chiefs, they’re no exception. Motaung, who turns 81 in October, founded the club 55 years ago, when he was just 25, and it is still going strong.

Now, with his children mainly filling key positions at the club, a trend that most Premier Soccer League clubs have adopted, he’s certainly confident about the future...

"As far as continuity is concerned, there are processes in place to ensure that there is a proper succession plan. 

"Obviously, the expectations are high, but for things to change overnight is not easy. I believe that we are on the right path to ensure that the Kaizer Chiefs brand continues to grow in leaps and bounds," said the chairman. 

READ: Thabo Senong making waves in Malawi with the FIFA TDS

The 2024/2025 season was one of mixed feelings at the Taung Village in Naturena, as Amakhosi ended a 10-year trophy drought by winning the Nedbank Cup title, beating archrivals Orlando Pirates 2-1 in the final.

It’s a result that returns them to continental football in the CAF Confederation Cup after an absence of four years.
However, results in the league were far from convincing, as they finished outside the top eight for a second consecutive season, something Motaung Senior would like to see improve in the new season...

"Sport is a wonderful environment because you learn a lot of lessons along the way. If you observe what's happened in England, for instance, Arsenal have not won a league title in more than 20 years.

For us it was a matter of ten years without a trophy, which was uncharacteristic for us to go so long without silverware.

"In sports, you go through phases of winning and losing," explained Motaung. 

Chiefs head coach Nasreddine Nabi is going into the new season with a lot of expectations both internally and externally, as he enters the second year of his contract with an option still awaiting him, depending on results.

But he will find comfort in Motaung Senior’s words about the dynamics of the football game, using the analogy of the recent FIFA Club World Cup...

"Football is an unpredictable game, look at what happened between PSG and Chelsea, and that resonates with us.

"We have learned a number of lessons over the last ten years, and we plan to use those lessons to pave the road ahead."