Johnson vows to get Chiefs back to winning ways

Cavin Johnson has vowed to do all he can to get Kaizer Chiefs back on the winning trail after being appointed as interim head coach.

ALSO READ: Five coaches who could be next up at Kaizer Chiefs

Chiefs announced on Monday that Johnson had been moved from his position as Head of Youth Devlopment Academy to leading the first team, after they sacked Molefi Ntseki and demoted Arthur Zwane from assistant coach to their youth structures. 

Johnson told the Kaizer Chiefs website on Wednesday that he would “devote every bit of experience and knowledge I have gained throughout my career to get the team back to winning ways and playing football the Kaizer Chiefs way, that delights the fans and draws more people to the matches.” 

Johnson certainly has plenty of experience as a head coach in the DStv Premiership, something Ntseki lacked, which led many to question his appointment ahead of the start of the new season. 

Ntseki ultimately failed to get the team back to where management wanted as they were beaten in the MTN8 semifinals by Mamelodi Sundowns and were knocked out of the Carling Black Label Knockout by AmaZulu, a result that proved to be the final straw. 

Chiefs are also eighth in the Premiership, with just three wins from nine league games, and Johnson will no doubt by expected to improve on that while also taking Chiefs on a good run in the Nedbank Cup.

“I empathise with Coach Molefi (Ntseki) and Coach (Arthur) Zwane but, as we all know, that’s football. I want to say that I appreciate their hard work and the solid platform they have left that I aim to build on,” added Johnson, who also thanked Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung for the opportunity. 

ALSO READ: Chiefs set to send young striker out on loan in January?

 “I am sure he thought long and hard about his decision, because he knew what he brought me here to do, which is to develop diamonds in the academy. But when he felt, in his wisdom, that he needed me somewhere else, I accepted his proposal. To be given the opportunity to coach Amakhosi, one of the world’s great footballing institutions, is a great honour for me.”