WATCH: Mokwena hails Chiefs ‘metamorphosis’

Mamelodi Sundowns co-head coach Rulani Mokwena believes Kaizer Chiefs look like a totally different side this season, and has praised the vision of the club and Amakhosi head coach Arthur Zwane.

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Sundowns will take on Chiefs at Loftus Stadium on Saturday in an early DStv Premiership showdown between the reigning champions and a Chiefs side looking to bring back the glory days to Naturena.

Chiefs opened their season with a 1-0 loss at Royal AM, but bounced back on Tuesday with a 3-0 win over Maritzburg United, and Mokwena has been impressed by what he has seen.

“It’s a huge metamorphosis, it’s not even a change. The team has taken a different direction, particularly in the vision that the club has set,” said Mokwena.

“The strategy in the transfer market is to get younger players like Dillon Solomons and also to promote and give opportunities to players like Bruce Bvuma and Mduduzi Shabalala.

“That is a direction they haven’t take in a very long time. If you look at the last three coaches, there was a huge reliance on players like Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Bernard Parker and Eric Mathoho. It looks like the cycle is changing.

“Arthur Zwane knows the DNA of the club,” added Mokwena.

“He has worked in the academy and as an assistant coach, that also influences the recruitment policies. We have seen in the transfer market, there are ‘bigger’ players but Chiefs have gone for a Yusuf Maart or an Ashley Du Preez, who are younger players than Chiefs would go for in a normal context.

“It is good for South African football, Chiefs are a big club, they have a good coach and an extremely good squad … that is now able to play a game … with high octane, aggressive pressing.”

That pressing was notable in the first half against Maritzburg in particular, where Chiefs hustled and harried their way into a two goal lead.

“If Maart doesn’t jump out of midfield and go and press then there is no mistake and no possibility of Keagan Dolly scoring (the second goal),” said Mokwena.

“It was the same with the first goal, how aggressive the midfield was in joining the front three, but you need the right kind of players. So the vision in recruitment and the playing methodology is good to see.

“We know it will be a difficult game on Saturday, but we love difficult matches and have the necessary experience to deal with difficult matches.”