Both Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates need to stay clear of the temptation to buy their way to a team capable of challenging Sundowns and rather commit to the players they have and build them into a successful team over the next three years.

Speaking on the Vodacom Sisonke Diski Chat (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YybAkPhy7Yk&t=1091s), four-time Premier Soccer League winning coach Gordon Igesund and Farouk Khan, the former Kaizer Chiefs Assistant Coach, explained their build rather than buy strategy which they believe Chiefs and Pirates need to follow.

Igesund said it’s blatantly clear to him that while both Chiefs and Pirates may have the players, neither of them has a team yet. And Khan agreed that the enforced break caused by the FIFA World Cup has compounded this issue for the Soweto giants.

“I can tell you right now just by watching them play that Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates don’t really know their best teams just yet,” said Igesund.

“They just haven’t had enough time because of the stop-start season we’ve had as a result of the World Cup break. I think that explains why Sundowns are so far ahead, because Chiefs and Pirates are still trying to formulate their best teams.

“Sundowns are very clear as a unit on how they will play. Pirates and Chiefs are still learning that because they haven’t had enough time together. I think they’ll definitely get it right, but they haven’t yet had the time. They’re still trying to get their players to understand the ethos of how they want to play and haven’t yet reached that point of focusing on winning titles. You can see it in their play. It’s probably one of the biggest challenges facing these two teams.”

Khan agreed that in the specific case of Chiefs, there appears a lack of cohesion amongst the players which the nine-week World Cup break has exposed even further.

“You have all these challenges of players coming back from the World Cup break, and then the transfer window and integrating new players into your squad. That synchronisation of players is lacking amongst them because nobody knows what the player next to them is going to do, and there are little gaps and pockets being exploited by the other teams. Buying players can assist with the process going forward, but it’s not the solution. You still have to ensure that your team functions as one unit. I’m sure Arthur Zwane will be focused on getting these players to gel as a unit because that’s the missing link there at the moment.”

Igesund is clear that the solution for both teams is to commit to the players they have now and to put together a three-year plan in which they mould their team and style of play to achieve the success he believes they’re capable of.

“There has to be a time when you say I’m drawing a line and not signing any more players. We’re going to work with what we’ve got. I don’t believe you can buy success. You’ve got to work for it. You’ve got to look at these players you’ve signed as being there for the next three years, and now you put your team together. As coaches you need to say let’s work on this team for the next three years and build this team up. You cannot have a bad season and sign another five players because then you’re still exactly where you are. They need to commit to work with these players for the next three years and then I believe you’ll see one of these teams win the league in the next three years.”

And it’s a goal Igesund believes Pirates is perhaps closer to achieving than Chiefs at present.

“I think Jose Riveiro is on the right track. Orlando Pirates is a team that works hard together as a unit. I think they have the right work ethic for each other, going forward and going back. They are the team I feel will be closer to challenging Sundowns next season.”

Khan was clear that he feels Chiefs have the quality in their team to be competitive, but that some tough calls may have to be made regarding star players who don’t perform.

“There is quality in that Kaizer Chiefs team, but you need to get to a point with the star players where they either realise their potential or you replace them. I’m being blatant about it because you can’t hang onto players who are earning huge sums but not delivering from match to match. It’s also not about just going to the market and signing new players. You need to find the right fit for your team. They can’t expect to build success overnight. They need to work with this core of players they have for a season or two. Too often we’re quick to want to change the personnel. But why did you then sign them in the first place? A bit of introspection is then needed in the scouting department. If they do sign a player, they must know it’s the proper fit.”

For both Chiefs and Pirates, the search for the perfect team is clearly proving more elusive than the search for the next perfect player.