Can Chiefs turn a corner over the dominance of arch-rivals?

What do the Soweto Glamour Boys Kaizer Chiefs have in common with the ANC?

Yes, you guessed right. Yi gwinya bantu, the ANC and Chiefs ‘gobble’ the people. They both have a huge following and the same colours but the most striking resemblance that stands out is that Abafana bokuthula noxolo, like the ruling ANC, ayisefani.

Kaizer Chiefs, just like the ANC, are no longer the same. Chiefs have been reduced to nothing but a shadow of their former self. Remember the days of wat al’les, when Chiefs won everything on offer in the premiership.

Those were the days of Patrick Pule ‘Ace’ Ntsoelengoe, Fanie Madida, Doctor Khumalo and Jabu ‘Shuffle’ Pule, who now goes by the name Mahlangu but maybe better known as ngwana wa tshwenya (problem child) which reminds one of the song by Australian rock band, AC/DC.

But as the second leg of the world-famous Soweto derby of the Absa Premiership between Chiefs and Orlando Pirates fast approaches on 9 February, many Kaizer Chiefs fans are now pinning their hopes of a revival on astute German coach Ernst Middendorp.

For the past couple of years, the Buccaneers have had the upper hand over their blood rivals, who broke away from the Mighty Bucs in 1970 to form what became the country’s most colourful soccer club under its charismatic found Kaizer ‘Shintsha Guluva’ Motaung.

Since Middendorp’s arrival at Chiefs a little over a month ago, the German has had a mixed bag of success and failures. He was knocked out of the Caf Confederation Cup and he has been blowing both hot and cold in the premiership.

But many would tell you, these are early days for him and given a chance, he would turn their fortunes around and once again Chiefs could become that domineering club that we had become accustomed to.

Whether Middendorp succeeds or not in taming the rampant Buccaneers who have recently dominated Chiefs remains to be seen but the acid test will come this Saturday at the FNB Stadium which under normal circumstances is the home of Amakhosi.

If Middendorp succeeds on Saturday, then we can maybe say Chiefs has turned a corner and is surely on the comeback trail.

Whatever happens on the day, fans can be assured of a spectacle of unimaginable brilliance that could mark the turnaround of the Glamour Boys or extend the Ghost’s dominance over its bitter rival.

Be that as it may be, Chiefs fans miss the glory days and bragging rights.

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