Shaun Bartlett has ruled Kaizer Chiefs out of the Absa Premiership title race – even before the second half of the season kicks off next week.
Amakhosi go into Wednesday’s match against the league’s bottom side, Jomo Cosmos, in third place, just three points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
Former Chiefs striker Bartlett, however, believes the internal problems at the club are too great for them to succeed.
Chiefs spent much of the first half of the season deflecting rumours of internal disputes between coach Vladimir Vermezovic and his team, as Jimmy Tau lost the captaincy, while winger Siphiwe Tshabalala seemed permanently on the verge of a move abroad.
Tshabalala has now signed a new contract but Bartlett said: “I just feel there are too many things affecting the club. Obviously they have tried to sort them out, like signing Tshabalala, but I think this could have been dealt with a long time ago. They always seem to wait until the contract is finished.
“I also haven’t seen a killer instinct from Chiefs, and purely on that I don’t think they’ll be contesting.”
Amakhosi have yet to find an adequate replacement for Knowledge Musona, though they will be hoping another Zimbabwean, the new signing Brian Abbas Amidu, can do the trick in the second stanza of the campaign.
Mamelodi Sundowns had the title momentum going into the Christmas break, but it remains to be seen how just under two months off has affected them, and the rest of the title challengers. There is no guarantee that a side in form at the end of December will come out firing again in the middle of February.
“The break came at the wrong time for Sundowns and the right time for SuperSport, who were having a bad spell and needed to regroup,” said Bartlett. “I think it’s between SuperSport, Pirates and Sundowns to contest for the league, though at this moment Sundowns are favourites.”
Pirates are an interesting choice, given that the reigning champions are currently in fifth, seven points off the Brazilians, and Bartlett did suggest that they need to start adapting to the style of coach Julio Leal.
“In my opinion they are still on the back end of Ruud Krol’s success,” he said of the side that has won this season’s MTN8 and Telkom Knockout titles.
“We’ll see in the second part of the season if the (new) coach’s methods and tactics come in. The first half has been a continuation of what Krol did.”
Bartlett also agreed that Pirates’ African Champions League involvement could play a role. “There is a lot of travelling, and that can tire you out.”
The top two, Sundowns and SuperSport, were involved in some serious transfer business over the break, with Anthony Laffor heading to the Brazilians, and Mabhudi Khenyeza and Franklin Cale going the other way.
“I think Gavin’s (Hunt, the SuperSport coach) been looking for that to happen for some time,” said Bartlett on Laffor’s exit. “We’ve seen what he’s done in the past, when someone disrupts the dressing room, he gets rid of him, and he has success even though they leave. I think he’s got a hard worker in Khenyeza.”
Looking at Pirates’ major new signing, former West Ham and Fulham striker Luis Boa Morte, Bartlett could speak from experience, as another overseas-based star who ended his career in South Africa.
“I think it’s not that easy,” said Bartlett. “I can see it happening a bit with Boa Morte like it is with Benni already … you expect certain things to happen and not all players have had top development. You still have to teach them certain things that are taught in academies overseas. I think he can (make an impact).”
As for the bottom of the table, Bartlett sees the two promoted sides, Jomo Cosmos and Black Leopards, as serious relegation candidates and has encouraged Cosmos owner Jomo Sono to step down as coach.
“It’s one of those things, the teams that come up are always favourites to go down,” said Bartlett. “Cosmos struggled for so long to get a win under their belt … maybe it’s time for Jomo to reconsider his priorities. You can’t be owner, coach and ball boy, you have to consolidate, there will be more money for him if he can stay in the PSL.”
February 15
Ajax Cape Town v Platinum Stars, Cape Town Stadium; AmaZulu v Mamelodi Sundowns, Moses Mabhida Stadium; Bidvest Wits v Maritzburg Utd, Bidvest Stadium; Bloem Celtic v Golden Arrows, Botshabelo Stadium; Moroka Swallows v Santos, Volkswagen Dobsonville Stadium; Orlando Pirates v Black Leopards, Orlando Stadium; SuperSport United v Free State Stars, Lucas Moripe Stadium; Jomo Cosmos v Kaizer Chiefs, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.
REMAINING 2011/12 ABSA PREMIERSHIP FIXTURES
February 18
Free State Stars v AmaZulu, Charles Mopeli Stadium; Kaizer Chiefs v Moroka Swallows, FNB Stadium; Santos v Bidvest Wits, Athlone Stadium; Golden Arrows v SuperSport United King Zwelithini Stadium.
February 19
Mamelodi Sundowns v Jomo Cosmos, Loftus Stadium; Maritzburg Utd v Ajax Cape Town, Harry Gwala Stadium.
February 22
Platinum Stars v Orlando Pirates, Royal Bafokeng Stadium; Black Leopards v Bloem Celtic, Peter Mokaba Stadium.
February 24
Moroka Swallows v Mamelodi Sundowns, Dobsonville Stadium.
February 25
Jomo Cosmos v Free State Stars, Sinaba Stadium; Golden Arrows v Black Leopards, King Zwelithini Stadium; Bidvest Wits v Kaizer Chiefs, Mbombela Stadium; Ajax Cape Town v Santos, Cape Town Stadium; SuperSport United v AmaZulu, Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium.
February 26
Bloem Celtic v Platinum Stars, Seisa Ramabodu Stadium; Orlando Pirates v Maritzburg Utd, Orlando Stadium.
March 13
Black Leopards v SuperSport United, Giyani Stadium; Mamelodi Sundowns v Bidvest Wits, Loftus Stadium.
March 14
AmaZulu v Jomo Cosmos, Moses Mabhida Stadium; Free State Stars v Moroka Swallows, Charles Mopeli Stadium; Kaizer Chiefs v Ajax Cape Town, Peter Mokaba Stadium; Maritzburg Utd v Bloem Celtic, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium; Platinum Stars v Golden Arrows, Royal Bafokeng Stadium; Santos v Orlando Pirates, Athlone Stadium.
March 17
Bidvest Wits v Free State Stars, Bidvest Stadium; Orlando Pirates v Kaizer Chiefs FNB Stadium; Golden Arrows v Maritzburg Utd, King Zwelithini Stadium; Ajax Cape Town v Mamelodi Sundowns, Newlands Stadium; Moroka Swallows v AmaZulu, Dobsonville Stadium; SuperSport United v Jomo Cosmos, Peter Mokaba Stadium.
March 18
Black Leopards v Platinum Stars, Giyani Stadium; Bloem Celtic v Santos, Seisa Ramabodu Stadium.
March 20
AmaZulu v Bidvest Wits, Moses Mabhida Stadium; Jomo Cosmos v Moroka Swallows, Sinaba Stadium; Mamelodi Sundowns v Orlando Pirates, Loftus Stadium.
March 21
Platinum Stars v SuperSport United, Moruleng Stadium; Free State Stars v Ajax Cape Town, Charles Mopeli Stadium; Kaizer Chiefs v Bloem Celtic, Peter Mokaba Stadium; Maritzburg Utd v Black Leopards, Harry Gwala Stadium; Santos v Golden Arrows Athlone Stadium.
March 28
Ajax Cape Town v AmaZulu, Cape Town Stadium; Bidvest Wits v Jomo Cosmos, Bidvest Stadium; Black Leopards v Santos, Peter Mokaba Stadium; Bloem Celtic v Mamelodi Sundowns, Seisa Ramabodu Stadium; Golden Arrows v Kaizer Chiefs, King Zwelithini Stadium; Orlando Pirates v Free State Stars, Orlando Stadium; Platinum Stars v Maritzburg Utd, Royal Bafokeng Stadium; SuperSport United v Moroka Swallows, Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium.
April 4
AmaZulu v Orlando Pirates, Moses Mabhida Stadium; Free State Stars v Bloem Celtic, Charles Mopeli Stadium; Jomo Cosmos v Ajax Cape Town, Sinaba Stadium; Kaizer Chiefs v Black Leopards, FNB Stadium; Mamelodi Sundowns v Golden Arrows, Loftus Stadium; Maritzburg Utd v SuperSport United, Harry Gwala Stadium; Moroka Swallows v Bidvest Wits, Dobsonville Stadium; Santos v Platinum Stars Athlone Stadium.
April 7
Golden Arrows v Free State Stars, King Zwelithini Stadium; Platinum Stars v Kaizer Chiefs, Royal Bafokeng Stadium; SuperSport United v Bidvest Wits, Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium; Ajax Cape Town v Moroka Swallows, Cape Town Stadium; Maritzburg Utd v Santos, Harry Gwala Stadium; Orlando Pirates v Jomo Cosmos, Orlando Stadium.
April 8
Black Leopards v Mamelodi Sundowns, Peter Mokaba Stadium; Bloem Celtic v AmaZulu, Seisa Ramabodu Stadium
April 17
Kaizer Chiefs v Maritzburg Utd, Peter Mokaba Stadium
April 18
AmaZulu v Golden Arrows, Moses Mabhida Stadium; Bidvest Wits v Ajax Cape Town, Bidvest Stadium; Free State Stars v Black Leopards, Charles Mopeli Stadium; Jomo Cosmos v Bloem Celtic, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium; Santos v SuperSport United, Athlone Stadium; Mamelodi Sundowns v Platinum Stars, Loftus Stadium; Moroka Swallows v Orlando Pirates, Dobsonville Stadium
April 21
Golden Arrows v Jomo Cosmos, King Zwelithini Stadium; Platinum Stars v Free State Stars, Royal Bafokeng Stadium; Black Leopards v AmaZulu, Giyani Stadium; Maritzburg Utd v Mamelodi Sundowns, Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium; Orlando Pirates v Bidvest Wits, Orlando Stadium; SuperSport United v Ajax Cape Town, Peter Mokaba Stadium.
April 22
Bloem Celtic v Moroka Swallows, Seisa Ramabodu Stadium; Santos v Kaizer Chiefs, Athlone Stadium.
April 27
Ajax Cape Town v Orlando Pirates, Cape Town Stadium.
April 28
Bidvest Wits v Bloem Celtic, Bidvest Stadium; Free State Stars v Maritzburg Utd, Goble Park; Jomo Cosmos v Black Leopards, Sinaba Stadium; AmaZulu v Platinum Stars, Moses Mabhida Stadium; Kaizer Chiefs v SuperSport United, FNB Stadium
April 29
Mamelodi Sundowns v Santos, Lucas Moripe Stadium; Moroka Swallows v Golden Arrows, Dobsonville Stadium
May 1
Maritzburg Utd v AmaZulu, Harry Gwala Stadium; Platinum Stars v Jomo Cosmos, Moruleng Stadium ; SuperSport United v Orlando Pirates, Peter Mokaba Stadium.
May 2
Black Leopards v Moroka Swallows, Giyani Stadium; Bloem Celtic v Ajax Cape Town, Seisa Ramabodu Stadium; Golden Arrows v Bidvest Wits, King Zwelithini Stadium; Santos v Free State Stars Athlone Stadium; Kaizer Chiefs v Mamelodi Sundowns, FNB Stadium.
May 12
Ajax Cape Town v Golden Arrows, Cape Town Stadium; AmaZulu v Santos, Moses Mabhida Stadium; Bidvest Wits v Black Leopards, Bidvest Stadium; Free State Stars v Kaizer Chiefs, Charles Mopeli Stadium; Jomo Cosmos v Maritzburg Utd, Sinaba Stadium; Mamelodi Sundowns v SuperSport United, Lucas Moripe Stadium; Moroka Swallows v Platinum Stars, Dobsonville Stadium; Orlando Pirates v Bloem Celtic, Orlando Stadium
May 19
Black Leopards v Ajax Cape Town, Peter Mokaba Stadium; Bloem Celtic v SuperSport United, Seisa Ramabodu Stadium; Golden Arrows v Orlando Pirates, King Zwelithini Stadium; Kaizer Chiefs v AmaZulu, FNB Stadium; Mamelodi Sundowns v Free State Stars, Lucas Moripe Stadium; Maritzburg Utd v Moroka Swallows, Harry Gwala Stadium; Platinum Stars v Bidvest Wits, Royal Bafokeng Stadium; Santos v Jomo Cosmos, Athlone Stadium
*Subject to change