Willard Katsande calls on senior players to drive Kaizer Chiefs revival

Willard Katsande of Kaizer Chiefs celebrates a goal during the Absa Premiership match between Kaizer Chiefs and Maritzbueg United

ZIMBABWE Warriors captain and Kaizer Chiefs midfielder Willard Katsande believes the call is on senior players to get the club out of the slump that they have fallen into over the last two months.

Through that plunge stretching eight games without victory, Chiefs have been knocked out of both the Nedbank Cup and CAF Champions League while also surrendering their title defence leaving Naturena enveloped in melancholy.

“We need to take responsibility as senior players with regards to the rough patch that we are experiencing now as we have been in this situation before,” says Katsande making reference to his first season (2011-12) at the club.

In April 2012 straight after the sacking of Vladimir Vermezovic – AmaKhosi lost four games in a row with Donald Khuse and Doctor Khumalo as caretaker coaches.

“So it is us who will change the situation and that we will do by working hard so that we bring back the happiness for our fans and the chairman. We need to pick up the positives from the previous game to the next game so that we finish the season on a high and also to pick up positives from the remaining games that we can then use next season,” he says.

But just how are they digesting this latest bad run of form at Naturena?

“This is our job and we are paid to play football. All we need to do is take responsibility and not only love your job when things are going your way. In difficult situations you need to be still able to respect your job and treat it the same way you do when the light is shining on you. We are paid to play football and we wake up every day and come to training with the same attitude like before. We are professionals.

“We need to take responsibility of this under performance that has seen us go to the extent of giving away everything. As players we don’t need to point fingers because if we are going to win like we did last season when we won as a team, I think this season if we are losing then we are doing so as a team. We don’t to sit down and point fingers, everybody will have to take responsibility in everything that is happening. If it is credit then it should go to everyone, if we are saying we are going down everyone there is not saying me I am better than this one. We are being judged as Kaizer Chiefs losing every cup,” he says.

Chiefs now have five games remaining in which third place is all they have to play for now.

Their remaining games are against University of Pretoria, Mamelodi Sundowns, Bloemfontein Celtic, Free State Stars and Chippa United. Kickoff.com

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