Kaizer Chiefs coach Arthur Zwane has admitted that the target for the rest of the 2022/23 league campaign is to qualify the CAF Champions League, even though they have been inconsistent this season in his first term as the head coach.
Zwane says as much as his team is winning today, losing tomorrow and drawing the next day, he wants this team to be tested at the highest level in Africa.
The advantage for Zwane here is that he knows that experience of coaching Chiefs in the Champions League, guiding them to the final in the 2021 after Gavin Hunt was sacked.
‘10111’ – along with Dillon Sheppard – took over as interim coaches and led Chiefs to the final, beating current champions Wydad Casablanca 1-0 on aggregate in the semi-final.
In doing so, Chiefs became the first club from Mzansi to beat Wydad in the Champions League in Morocco – something, which not even Pitso Mosimane was able to achieve during his stint at Mamelodi Sundowns.
However, Chiefs moved Zwane aside, appointing Stuart Baxter, who then saw the Amakhosi lose to Mosimane’s Al Ahly in the final in Morocco.
But, having tasted the CAFCL back then, Zwane has now insisted that he wants to lead his team back into Africa’s elite club competition.
“I’ll be honest with you, we play to win every game,” said Zwane when asked by iDiski Times what the end goal was this season.
“Even though results have been fluctuating, but we play to win every game and we would love to be out there [at the top] because I have tasted the sweetness of being in the Champions League and that is the only time we can grow as a team and our players as well will grow from participating in such a demanding competitive Champions League.
“For us, it will be good for our supporters, good for the club. The history of this club means we have to compete at that level year in and year out.”
Chiefs do have a chance of finishing second in the DStv Premiership this season to feature in Champions League next term.
Following Saturday’s win over Orlando Pirates in the Soweto Derby, the Amakhosi moved level on points with third-placed Pirates and fourth-placed Richards Bay, with all three having 31 points after 21 matches, while SuperSport United sit in second spot with 36 points.
They will visit Bay at King Zwelithini Stadium at 15:30 on Saturday, knowing a win will definitely take them into fourth spot and potentially even third, if Pirates fail to beat Swallows on Friday.
