Farouk Khan feels Kaizer Chiefs must go 'back to their roots' despite Soweto Derby win

Ex-Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Farouk Khan says the Soweto giants are in decline because the club has lost its culture and philosophy. 

The Glamour Boys are currently enduring a drought having won their last major trophy in 2015 when they clinched the PSL title under coach Stuart Baxter. 

The current season has seen Amakhosi struggle in the PSL as they are placed ninth on the league standings having been eliminated from the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup. 

“They must identify their playing style‚ philosophy and game model‚ it basically means they must identify their culture‚” said Khan when speaking to Sowetan.

“Chiefs had a culture which made them the Phefeni Glamour Boys and they have to search and go back to their roots. They must search for the type of players that will make sure that culture returns.

"They must ensure that they reinvent players like Patrick “Ace” Ntsoelengoe‚ Doctor Khumalo‚ Thabo Mooki‚ Nelson “Teenage” Dladla‚ Jabu (Pule) Mahlangu‚ Nhlanhla Kubheka‚ the list is endless.”

Khan served as an assistant to Ted Dumitru as Chiefs dominated South African football - winning two league titles between 2004 and 2005. 

The former Mamelodi Sundowns assistant coach also played an important role in ensuring that the likes of Jabu Mahlangu‚ Gerald Sibeko‚ Junior Khanye and Thabiso Malatsi were promoted to Amakhosi's first team.

“Once they have done that‚ the next thing will be to ensure that they are able to manage the game and have that element of unpredictability‚ which is so important," he continued.

"Currently when you look at the best teams in the world‚ Pep Guardiola plays with inverted full-backs. One moment you see Joao Cancelo playing as a right-back and the next he is playing as a striker.

“That type of unpredictability is important at the highest level because most teams have what we call match analysis and they know each other.”

Chiefs ended a six-match winless run in the PSL when they beat their biggest rivals, Orlando Pirates 1-0 in the Soweto Derby at FNB Stadium on Sunday. 

However, Khan feels that the Glamour Boys lack creativity and they have become predictable under coach Gavin Hunt.

“Opposition coaches know what you are going to do in a game‚ like runs‚ passing and stuff like that‚ but a coach that comes with creativity will always keep you guessing," he said. 

"Creativity and unpredictability are lacking and there is also no consistency‚ which means players need to be mentally strong and know how to play as a unit and keep that yellow jersey shining.

“There is a lot of work ahead for this team moving forward‚ including at the development structures‚ because when a player is promoted he doesn’t have to come to the first team to learn the basics," he added. 

"They have some young players there at the moment but there is a lot of work to be done. With due respect to other teams in the league‚ there is a significant difference to playing for Chiefs than playing for some of the other teams."

Khan insisted that Hunt cannot be blamed for the team's problems and he also explained why experienced goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune has been included in the current Bafana Bafana squad despite his poor form at Chiefs this term.

“I have worked with the chairman [Kaizer Motaung] and I know that he is a great admirer and believer in ball retention‚ but this is not what we see now and it is because of many reasons. You mustn’t put the blame on the coach because he found the team the way it is," he explained. 

“Don’t look at the symptoms‚ go to the root and you will find out that Chiefs have to go back to their roots. They must go back to the Chiefs that used to win cups and dominate‚ and the only way to get back there is to go back to their roots.

“During those years when they used to win trophies and dominate‚ you will find about five to six players in Bafana Bafana. But today there is not even a single player who is currently playing who has been called up to national duty. Itumeleng Khune is not playing regularly at Chiefs and he is in the national team as a motivator.”

Chiefs will face off with Morocco's Wydad Casablanca in their fifth Caf Champions League Group C game at FNB Stadium on April 3.