Changes at Chiefs are justifiable, admits Katsande

The expected mass changes at Kaizer Chiefs have everyone at the team unsure of their future and long-serving midfield work- horse, Willard Katsande admitted the changes are justifiable after the team had their worst season ever.

The Zimbabwean’s name has been among those mentioned who might get the chop but he revealed this week that he was still part of the team until he was told otherwise.

“Obviously if I’m here giving you interviews, it means I’m part of the future,” said Katsande on the sidelines of the Carling Cup launch at Park Station in Johannesburg this week. “That is until I’m told that I’m not part of the future,” he added.

Katsande’s contribution to the team in the past few seasons has been questioned and former Baroka FC coach Kgoloko Thobejane made headlines earlier in the week when he said the midfielder would never play in his team if he were to be offered the job at Chiefs.

Thobejane argued that inasmuch as Katsande is good at winning the ball, he gives it away just as easily because he doesn’t know what to do with it once it is at his feet. That has been the general feeling among some of the club’s fans as well. But that doesn’t bother the 33-year-old.

“I’m a big guy. I’m a big dog. I take any criticism because I’ve been in this game and in this team for so long… Obviously it is easy to have fingers pointed at us because we are senior players and when things don’t go according to plan we are there to be blamed.

“You take the criticism and turn it into a positive so that you come back with something to prove. I’m not bothered about it because the fans are obviously upset at the fact that we have not delivered trophies in the past four seasons. They have a right to be angry with us.

“We respect them and you won’t even hear me responding badly to them. I would actually tell them, ‘you’re really telling the truth, we didn’t give our best’,” said Katsande.

Chiefs meanwhile released striker Ryan Moon this week, announcing that they will not be exercising their right to extend his contract when it ends at the end of the month.

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