Kaizer Chiefs F.C.

This article is about the football club. For the band, see Kaiser Chiefs.
Kaizer Chiefs
Full name Kaizer Chiefs Football Club
Nickname(s) Amakhosi (Chiefs),
Glamour Boys
Founded 7 January 1970
Ground FNB Stadium, Soweto, Johannesburg
Ground Capacity 94,796
Chairman Kaizer Motaung
Manager Steve Komphela
League ABSA Premiership
2014–15 ABSA Premiership, 1st

Kaizer Chiefs Football Club is a South African football club based in Johannesburg that plays in the Premier Soccer League. The team is nicknamed Amakhosi, which means "lords" or "chiefs" in Zulu, and the "Phefeni Glamour Boys". They currently play most of their home games at Soccer City in Nasrec, Soweto, which is commonly also referred to as the FNB Stadium. The club is arguably the most successful football club in the country having lifted the league championship 12 times, they have won Domestic cups 64 times since the club’s inclusion into professional football in 1970 (TOP 8: 15, League Cup 13, FA Cup 13, Charity Cup 11, Ohlsson’s Challenge 2, Castle Challenge: 2, Stylo Cup: 1, UCT Super Team Competition: 1, Sales House Cup: 6, Panasonic Cup: 1, Carling Black Label Cup: 1) however only 4 of the league championships arrived since the inception of the current PSL format in 1996 whilst the rest were won prior to the league format change. The 2001 CAF Cup Champions and CAF Club of the year are also the most supported club in South Africa (and the neighboring countries of Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia, etc). It has been estimated that the club has over 20 million supporters.

The team has a local rivalry with Orlando Pirates, a fellow Soweto team which Chiefs founder Kaizer Motaung played for in his early playing career. Famous players who donned the black and gold jersey in the past include former national team captains Neil "Mokoko" Tovey, Lucas "Rhoo" Radebe and also Patrick "Ace" Ntsoelengoe, Gary Richard Bailey, John "Shoes" Lesiba Moshoeu, Shaun Bartlett, Steve Kompela, Siyabonga Nomvete and Doctor "16V" Khumalo.

Chiefs were banned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) from competing in African club competitions until 2009 after their abrupt withdrawal from the 2005 CAF Confederation Cup. This was the second time in four years that Chiefs had been penalized by CAF for refusal to participate in a scheduled CAF competition.

Kaiser Chiefs, a British indie/britpop band, was named after the club because Lucas Radebe, a former player of Kaizer Chiefs, captained Leeds United, the team they all supported.[1]

History

Kaizer Chiefs were founded on 7 January 1970 shortly after the return of Kaizer "Chincha Guluva" Motaung from the United States where he played as a striker for the Atlanta Chiefs of the North American Soccer League (NASL). He combined his own first name with the Atlanta Chiefs to create the name of Kaizer Chiefs.

Several other people have played key roles in the formation and growth of Kaizer Chiefs, including the late Gilbert Sekgabi, Clarence Mlokoti, China Ngema,Ewert "The Lip" Nene and Rabelani Jan Mofokeng, he trailed and quit because of work.[2]

Kaizer Chiefs are known as Amakhosi by its fans. Their headquarters is Kaizer Chiefs Village, in Naturena, six kilometres south of Johannesburg.[2]

The 2001/2002 season was one of the Club’s most successful in their history as well as their most tragic. They won four major trophies in four months; the Vodacom Challenge, the BP Top Eight, the Coca-Cola Cup, and the African Cup Winners' Cup.[3] At the time the team was said to have been a team that was on "Operation vat alles" by its then public relations officer Putco Mfani, "vat alles" being an Afrikaans statement meaning "take everything" in English. However, the highs of cup wins was contrasted by the lows of the Ellis Park Stadium disaster on 11 April 2001, in which 43 fans were crushed to death during the Soweto derby between Chiefs and their arch-rivals Orlando Pirates.[4]

By virtue of winning the African Cup Winners' Cup, Chiefs went on to play the 2001 CAF Champions League winners Al-Ahly of Egypt in the 2001 CAF Super Cup. In April 2002, Kaizer Chiefs' achievements during 2001 were recognized as they were chosen as the "CAF Club of the Year" by the Confederation of African Football.[2]

In the 2003/2004 season Chiefs were given the Fair Play Award at the Peace Cup in South Korea. Chiefs ended the season as league champions, winning the PSL for the first time in their history.[5]

During the championship race of the 2004/2005 soccer season, Chiefs overtook the season-long leaders (Orlando Pirates) in the last game of the season to defend its PSL championship. Under the leadership of Romanian coach Ted Dumitru, Zambian striker Collins Mbesuma had a record-breaking season scoring 39 goals in all competitions.[6]

Kaizer Chiefs' forays into Africa were temporarily scuttled by a Confederation of African Football (CAF) ban.[7] However, it still made its presence felt through the annual Vodacom Challenge that pit Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates with an invited European club. Chiefs have won the Vodacom Challenge Cup 5 times since its inception. They beat a young Manchester United side 4–3 on penalties in the 2006 Challenge to win the trophy.[8]

In March 2007, coach Ernst Middendorp and the club parted company. The club instantly appointed their rival team Orlando Pirates' former coach Kosta Papić for the remainder of the 2006/7 season.

Muhsin Ertuğral returned for the 2007/2008 season to begin his second stint with Chiefs having already coached The Glamour Boys from 1999 until 2003.[9]

Stadiums

Amakhosi Stadium

Main article: Amakhosi Stadium

During the past years, the Amakhosi have used no less than nine stadiums in Johannesburg as their home-ground, and often rotated between several stadiums during the season. In August 2006, the club made a strategic decision to sign a "mutual interest agreement" with a stadium developer and the local municipality regarding the construction of a new permanent home venue for Kaizer Chiefs, at a total planned cost of R1.2 billion (£105m), which was to be partly owned by the club. This future home venue was named Amakhosi Stadium, and will be situated in Krugersdorp, roughly 40 km west of Johannesburg. Initially it was planned to open in December 2008, but according to the latest revised construction plan, it is now expected only to be finalized by August 2012. The planned stadium was redesigned into a cheaper project, with a new price tag at R700 million, and the capacity being reduced from 55,000 to 35,000 seats.[10] As part of the new revised construction plan for the stadium, it was announced by Kaizer Chiefs, that they no longer plan to be one of the owners of the stadium, but remain ready to support the stadium as a long time committed tenant.

The new stadium was initially planned to be part of a greater sports precinct, into which the club would also move its entire "Kaizer Chiefs Youth Development Programme". The Gauteng Provincial Government have agreed to develop the needed infrastructures around the stadium, in order to guarantee sufficient road and railway access for the huge crowd of spectators.

The stadium developers initially had set time lines for the Amakhosi stadium, to open its doors for the public in December 2008. As of July 2010, construction however had not yet started. Kaizer Chiefs announced in August 2010, that construction of Amakhosi Stadium was now expected only to start in fall 2010, and finalised by August 2012. It had been postponed several years, due to Kaizer Chiefs and its joint partners, facing difficulties to finance the construction. For the football seasons in 2010–12, the team instead planned to use Rand Stadium as their home venue.[11]

Kaizer Chiefs however only played four of their 15 home games at Rand Stadium in 2010–11, due to some experienced capacity problems, with the transportation related infrastructures around the stadium -and a low spectator attendance. Instead the team during this season, played most of their home games, at the big FNB Stadium -Soccer City.[12]

FNB Stadium/Soccer City

Main article: FNB Stadium

FNB Stadium is a stadium located in Johannesburg, with a capacity of 94,736 seats. It is located next to the South African Football Association headquarters (SAFA House), where both the FIFA offices and the Local Organising Committee for the 2010 FIFA World Cup is housed.[13]

The Soweto derby

Main article: Soweto derby

The Soweto derby between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates is one of the most fiercely contested matches in world football, and in contrast to most of the other games played in the South African Premier Soccer League, matches between the two rivals always attract a large fanbase.

Achievements

League

Champions 2003–04, 2004–05, 2012–13, 2014–15
Champions 1989, 1991, 1992
Champions 1974, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1984

[14]

Cup competitions

Winners 1974, 1976, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1985, 1987, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1994, 2001, 2006, 2008, 2014
Winners 1983, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010
Winners 1971, 1972, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1987, 1992, 2000, 2006, 2013
Winners 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2010
Winners 1987, 1989
Winners 1990, 1991
Winners 1970
Winners 1972
Winners 1974, 1976, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984
Winners 1986
Winners 2013

International

Winners 2001
Winners 2001
Winners 2000, 2001, 2003, 2006, 2009

Club records

Premier Soccer League record

Club officials/Technical team

First team squad

As of 13 March 2015

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
1 South Africa GK Reyaad Pieterse
3 South Africa DF Erick Mathoho
4 South Africa DF Daniel Cardoso
5 South Africa DF Siboniso Gaxa
5 South Africa DF Siyanda Xulu
6 South Africa MF Reneilwe Letsholonyane
9 Togo FW Camaldine Abraw
12 South Africa MF George Maluleka
14 South Africa MF Siphiwe Tshabalala (Captain)
16 South Africa GK Nhlanhla Khuzwayo
17 South Africa MF George Lebese
18 South Africa DF Kgotso Moleko
19 South Africa FW Bongani Ndulula
No. Position Player
20 South Africa FW Siphelele Mthembu
23 South Africa DF Keegan Ritchie
24 South Africa DF Tsepo Masilela
25 South Africa FW Bernard Parker
26 South Africa DF Lorenzo Gordinho
27 South Africa MF Hendrick Ekstein
29 Zimbabwe FW Ovidy Karuru
30 Uganda DF Ivan Bukenya
31 Zimbabwe MF Willard Katsande
32 South Africa GK Itumeleng Khune
36 South Africa DF Simphiwe Mtsweni
83 South Africa DF Morgan Gould

On loan

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

No. Position Player
Zimbabwe DF Lincoln Zvasiya (at OFI Crete until 30 June 2014)
South Africa MF Abia Nale (at Mpumalanga Black Aces until 30 June 2014)
South Africa FW Sakhile Hlongwa (at Thanda Royal Zulu until 30 June 2014)

Foreigners

In the South African PSL, only five non-South African nationals can be registered. Foreign players who have acquired permanent residency can be registered as locals.

Notable former players

For all Kaizer Chiefs players with a Wikipedia article see Category:Kaizer Chiefs F.C. players

Coaches

Shirt sponsor & kit manufacturer

Rugby

On 29 October 2012, Kaizer Chiefs announced that they registered a rugby sevens team to participate in the inaugural 7s Premier League.[16]

References

  1. ↑ "Interview: Kaiser Chiefs". Music OMH. April 2005. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  2. 1 2 3 Kaizer Chiefs. "The birth of Kaizer Chiefs through the eyes of Kaizer Motaung". kaizerchiefs.com. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  3. ↑ "Kaizer Chiefs: Honours". Kaizer Chiefs. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  4. ↑ "Ellis Park soccer stampede kills 43". sahistory.org.za. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  5. ↑ "Chiefs win SA league". BBC Sport. 29 May 2004. Retrieved 2008-03-13.
  6. ↑ "Mbesuma tops in South Africa". BBC Sport. 26 May 2005. Retrieved 2008-03-18.
  7. ↑ "Kaizer Chiefs slapped with lengthy ban". mg.co.za. 29 May 2005. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  8. ↑ "Vodacom Challenge results and line-ups". Vodacomchallenge.com. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  9. ↑ "Ertuğral returns to Chiefs as coach". Sundayszaman.com. 22 June 2007. Retrieved 19 July 2012.
  10. ↑ M&G Centre for Investigative Journalism (16 April 2010). "Playing the blame game".
  11. ↑ http://www.newstime.co.za/Sport/Chiefs_choose_Rand_Stadium_as_home/9564/
  12. ↑ Independent Online (18 November 2010). "Chiefs and the Bucs great stadium heist".
  13. ↑ "Soccer City". FIFA. Retrieved 2008-06-30.
  14. ↑ Rothmans cup
  15. ↑ Gleeson, Mark (April 2012). "48 coaches in 41 years for Amakhosi". Sowtan. Retrieved 22 September 2012.
  16. ↑ "Kaizer Chiefs get rugby team". Sport24. 29 Oct 2012. Retrieved 29 Oct 2012.

External links

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