Chiefs sack Ntseki after Carling Knockout exit

Kaizer Chiefs sacked head coach Molefi Ntseki on Monday, just two days after the side were knocked out of the Carling Knockout in the first round by AmaZulu.

Chiefs have appointed Cavin Johnson as interim head coach, after only recently hiring him as Head of the Youth and Development Academy.

Dillon Sheppard will stay on as assistant coach, while Arthur Zwane, who was also assistant coach under Ntseki, has been sacked from first team duties and demoted back to a role within Chiefs’ development structures.

“Following a meeting on Monday morning, Molefi Ntseki’s tenure as Head Coach of Kaizer Chiefs has ended amicably by mutual consent. Given the recent run of disappointing results, the parties agreed that this was the best course of action under the prevailing circumstances,” read a brief Chiefs statement.

Chiefs sporting director Kaizer Motaung Jnr added: ““would like to thank Coach Ntseki for his contribution to the Club since he arrived here, both at development level and with the senior team. We wish him success in his future endeavours.”

Ntseki took over as Chiefs head coach ahead of this season, and he was a surprise appointment, as the former Bafana Bafana head coach had no previous experience leading a side in the DStv Premiership.

Chiefs are currently eigth in the DStv Premiership, lost in the MTN8 semifinals to Mamelodi Sundowns and Saturday’s cup exit means they are guaranteed an eighth successive calendar year without a single piece of PSL silverware.

Chiefs’ Carling Knockout defeat by AmaZulu on Saturday ended with supporters pelting missiles at the Chiefs head coach for the third time this season.

This latest incident is likely to see Chiefs forced to play a game behind closed doors, if the Premier Soccer League decide to take further action.

Immediately after the AmaZulu loss, Ntseki would not be drawn on whether the abuse from supporters has made him wonder if it is worth carrying on coaching the team.

“I don’t think this is a question that can be answered now,” he said. “I am employed by the club, I will have conversations with they technical team, we will look into the incident and discuss what is needed going forward.”

That has clearly resulted in the decision for Ntseki to leave the club.

‘This is football’

“At the end of the day, this is football. When you are hired, the door is open for you to be fired,” added Ntseki.

“If you don’t get results you should be ready to be fired. ”