Kaizer Chiefs maintain that the Amakhosi fans’ pleas for radical change at Naturena “is not falling on deaf ears”, while Shaun Bartlett believes he and head coach Ernst Middendorp will continue in their posts next season.
Chiefs have endured one of their worst campaigns in recent history after they finished ninth in the Premiership, and were unable to win meaningful trophies either.
A season of discontent saw Italian Giovanni Solinas fired – after he replaced Steve Komphela – and German Middendorp was unable to turn things around either.
Chiefs supporters have called on the Glamour Boys to make some big signings, as well as getting rid of Middendorp and his technical team.
But in a series of posts on Twitter on Tuesday, the club stated that they are listening to their fans, and pleaded for patience during the off-season.
“Amakhosi Family, we want you to know that we are listening to you and continuously show the Chairman (Kaizer Motaung) and our officials your messages. This feedback is not falling on deaf ears. We hear you.
“We will still have to update you in the interim on marketing initiatives, football developments and what is happening here at the Village. We can only update you on changes in football once they are finalised. Please be patient with us until then.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/Amakhosi4Life?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Amakhosi4Life pic.twitter.com/VmONZMwb8m
— Kaizer Chiefs (@KaizerChiefs)
“We need to update and keep you close to us, we need you to understand that our posts are not a way of ignoring you. We have to do our part. That means we are required to keep you informed.
“There are some off-the-field activities that we will be communicating to you about. Today we start with the #CarlingCup. WE HAVE NOTHING BUT LOVE FOR YOU.. Amakhosi 4 Life!”
At the Carling Cup launch on Tuesday, assistant coach Bartlett was questioned by the media after Middendorp was not on stage.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/CarlingCup?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CarlingCupis back and the future of football is in your hands
⚽️ @KaizerChiefs vs @orlandopirates
— Carling Black Label (@blacklabelsa)
The former Bafana Bafana striker, though, said that he believes he will still be around in the new season.
“He (Middendorp) is around. The invite extended to us as a club was for the captain and assistant coach, so that’s why I came,” Bartlett was quoted as saying by the Soccer Laduma website.
“Unfortunately, I don’t think any of (Orlando Pirates’) assistant coaches are in the country, due to post-season trips – coaching, or whatever, so that’s the main reason I’m here and not the coach.
“The only thing I can say is that nothing has been communicated to me to say that I won’t be (continuing at Chiefs). As far as we know, as a technical team, everyone will still be there.
“When we talk about strengthening, it’s maybe adding one or two in certain positions to make sure that we have all areas covered. But as far as I know, everybody is still there.”