With Kaizer Chiefs supporters divided on the immediate future of head coach Nasreddine Nabi, KickOff looks back on how Ernst Middendorp transformed the side from ninth place to league title contenders.
For a big club as Chiefs, finishing ninth - after they missed out on the MTN8 for the second successive season currently, does not necessarily mean they need baby steps to compete again for the league title next season, even though Mamelodi Sundowns have set the bar high.
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Amakhosi, contemplating Nabi's future would be reminded by history not to overlook the virtue of continuity, after former coach Middendorp took over midway the 2018/19 season and after The Glamour Boys finished ninth, the German coach transformed them into title contenders in the 2019/20 term, losing the Premiership on the final matchday.
The Soweto giants, however, needed an overhaul of the squad, as they parted ways with no less than 11 players in the off-season in 2019, losing key players, Teenage Hadebe, after he was transferred to Turkish side to Yeni Malatyaspor, Siphiwe Tshabalala also left for Turkey to join Erzurumspor.
Amakhosi were also affected by the alleged improper registration of Andrianamirado 'Dax' Andrianarimanana, with court cases during the season before they were officially banned from making transfers in February 2020.
Besides the three abovementioned players, Chiefs cleared players they deemed surplus, the likes of goalkeeper Virgil Cries, Godfrey Walusimbi, Mario Booysen, Given Thibedi, Wiseman Meyiwa was forced to retire early, Hendrick Ekstein, Khotso Malope, Ryan Moon, Gustavo Paez, Bhongolwethu Jayiya and Emmanuel Letlotlo.
Chiefs went on to recruit only seven players ahead of and during the 2019/20 campaign, in Kearyn Baccus, Anthony Akumu, James Kotei, Yagan Sasman, Lazarous Kambole, Sizwe Twala and Samir Nurkovic.
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However, from the new signings, only Nurkovic made an impact, as Middendorp's charges led the Premiership for almost the entire season, before they lost the title during the bio-bubble.
Does Nabi has what it takes to make the same improvement of Chiefs players, if he is retained for the 2025/26 campaign?
