28 May 2019

It did not pour but rained at Mochudi Centre Chiefs’ camp during the just ended  BTC Premiership season.

The Kgatleng giants experiecned one of their worst football season in the past decade.

Magosi, which suffered a one-nil defeat against Gaborone United at the National Stadium on Friday night, have had their fate sealed as early as match 29 when they suffered their 15^th defeat in the league campaign going down 3-1 at the hands of fellow relegated team, Sankoyo Bush Bucks.

Magosi’s 2018/19 campaign was yet another reminder of an uphill battle that  most teams are faced with in their quest to compete in the elite league.

Most teams are without sponsors and rely on gate takings and monthly grants from Botswana Premier League.

Financial constraints, besides boardroom squables that marred the team for the past two season, is what could have contributed to the predicament that Chiefs found itself in.

The writing was on the wall from the first six opening games that Chiefs will have a turbulent season as they failed to register victory until match seven with a win against Security Systems.

Following the departure of one of the Chiefs’ darling, Pontso Moloi from the technical team in the early stages of the season and frequent boycott threats from players over unpaid slaries, it was evident that relegation was inevitable.

The demise of the team’s long serving administrator, Clifford Mogomotsi in the middle of the season, also sent the team into panic mode as he has been for years sacrificed for the team.

Though this season has been a nightmare and one to forget  for Chiefs, they did get to enjoy a high point in the early stages of the second round as they went on a five games unbeaten run, while under the guidance of Tumie Duiker, who appeared to have sailed the Chiefs’ ship to safer shores.

Duiker’s arrival looked like just what the doctor ordered, but he  was shown the exit door by the team’s management, citing lack of funds and that was a defining moment for Chiefs, as they only managed to collect four points from a possible 33 since Duiker’s departure.

The once Kgatleng giants were renowned for  playing free-flowing, attacking football, which won them four league titles during their heydays, but they rarely showed that identity during the just ended seasons.

While the memories of the 2008 first major success and the back to back title wins in 2011-12 and 2012-13 could still be fresh in many of the Chiefs’ diehard supporters, the cliff edge of second-tier football is all too real.

Meanwhile, Sankoyo Bush Bucks and Black Forest also got relegated. ends