Smiso Msomi
Ex-Kaizer Chiefs head coach Arthur Zwane has opened up about adjusting to his new role as head of the club’s development following his redeployment.
“10111” as he has affectionately been called by the Amakhosi faithful since his playing days, was handed the opportunity to return order and success at the start of the 2022/2023 season, having previously held down the fort as an interim coach or as an assistant.
Unfortunately for Zwane, the results weren’t to be had as he guided the club to a fifth-place finish, winning 13 games, drawing five and losing an unprecedented 12 before being replaced by Molefi Ntseki, who, ironically, was the head of development at the time.
Since then, Zwane has watched both Ntseki and Cavin Johnson fail to turn the club’s fortunes around, which has led to the Glamour Boys appointing an entirely new technical team.
Tunisian mastermind Nabi Nasreddine is the new head honcho at the Naturena-based club and has arrived with huge expectations to not only win a trophy, but formulate a structure that will see them return to being a fertile source of talent, like yesteryear.
Full time score: KZN Legends 0 : 1 Kaizer Chiefs Legends (Phala)#Amakhosi4Life #KCLegends #PrinceMangosuthuLegacyCup pic.twitter.com/hHyfnm0hyS
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) September 7, 2024
At the start of this season, Zwane returned to the academy, having been the reserve team head coach in the past. The 50-year-old rolled back the years with his former teammates at the Prince Mangosuthu Stadium in Ulundi before catching up with the media present.
He said he was happy to be returning to a passion of his in terms of developing players and still felt a huge responsibility to deliver the best results in his new role as well.
“I’ve always been a person that appreciates projects; for me, having had the chance to coach the first team and come back, is still a big opportunity for me,” he said.
“Just to be a part of Kaizer Chiefs is a huge responsibility, it doesn’t matter in which capacity that is but as long as you’re part of the club. You're expected to perform to the highest level all the time.”
He further added: “The passion is still there, this is in my body, it doesn’t matter whether I am with the first team or the development.”
❤️✌️ #Amakhosi4Life #AlwaysHome pic.twitter.com/IgQmiGFd68
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs) September 5, 2024
Having had an extended period of uncertainty in and around the academy after being dismissed in 2023, Zwane personified gratitude to still be a part of the club’s ranks and pledged himself to nurture an inspired future generation.
“A lot of people are doing jobs that they don’t like, I think I was blessed to be a part of football and that's why I’m very passionate about inspiring the next generation to do the things they love and never forget where they came from,” he said.