Cup aan Chiefs: the table is set for an exciting caf champions league finale

I often make the joke that things that Kaizer Chiefs do affect the gross domestic product (GDP) of the country.

It might be an exaggeration, but what I can say is that Amakhosi’s historic run to next month’s Caf Champions League final affected the mood Mzansi this past week.

I’m sure even Google and Wikipedia are also like: Een nou, why is everybody searching Kaizer Chiefs?”

The people at the Google and Wikipedia offices are probably thinking people are misspelling the name of the rock band from Leeds.

No, you American geeks, that’s Kaiser Chiefs, which was inspired by their admiration of SA legend Lucas Radebe.

This is Chiefs, the Soweto giants, who have reached the final of Africa’s most valuable club title.

It’s not just about the money, it’s about the journey when it comes to Caf tournaments.

The transformative magic inside those Caf trophies is a sight to behold when the winning club captain raises it in celebration.

Orlando Pirates delivered the first Caf club title to South Africa back in 1995, when the Buccaneers won the Champions League.

Chiefs were next in 2001, winning the Cup Winners’ Cup, when it was called the Mandela Cup back then.

Thereafter, after being a finalist in 2001, Mamelodi Sundowns finally got their hands on the Champions League trophy in 2016.

Each journey has had its own story and events.

For Chiefs, it has taken some time for them to come to the battle for African supremacy.

Chiefs are easily the most decorated team here Mzansi bafethu. That’s something that we don’t even need to discuss or debate about.

They should’ve been in the African mix and being mentioned with the continent’s greatest clubs a long time ago, but that hasn’t been the case.

Bra Pitso Mosimane, who is in charge of the current kings of African football Al Ahly, who will be Chiefs’ opponents in the final, has been trying to explain this to anybody who will listen.

He’s been upfront about his respect for them and what they’ve done to get to that stage, calling them a mysterious and dangerous opponent.

This past week, he has been dishing out information about Chiefs, any media professional or fan that might not really have known about the Glamour Boys.

He has really put Chiefs on a pedestal, which has helped build up the match.

It’s a masterstroke by the Jomo Sono mentee because now everyone will watch the game with a lot of curiosity.

He has always been out to dethrone Soweto, calling Chiefs and Pirates out on a number of occasions while he was the Sundowns coach.

Famously saying one time that “the trophies are here” in Tshwane and inviting the Soweto giants to come and get them.

He’ll definitely be out to crush Chiefs on the biggest club stage on the continent, with the whole world watching.

Even Benni McCarthy has now added his name to the African mix, saying he would love to coach a strong Zamalek and battle against Mosimane’s Al Ahly.

He said this in an appearance on The Changing Room hosted by his former teammate at Ajax Amsterdam and West Ham, Zamalek legend Ahmed Mido.

Bafana Bafana’s all-time leading goalscorer said: “Hopefully, Mido has the power to make me the coach of Zamalek one day.”

But you see, the whole Caf thing wasn’t really a thing here in Mzansi, especially at Naturena.

The owner, Bra Kaizer Motaung and his son “who didn't apply for his job” as Manager of Football, Bobby, haven’t taken African competition seriously in the past.

They always complained about the costs and travel involved. But now, they are guaranteed R18,2million for their efforts.

Things haven’t always been good between Amakhosi and the continental football leadership.

They were banned from competing in any African club competitions between 2005 and 2009 after they dala’d a U-turn and withdrew from the Confederation Cup in 2005.

Here they are now, after playing two trophyless seasons without signing a single player because they are serving a Fifa ban because they illegally signed Malagasy midfielder Arohasina Andrianarimanana.

[email protected]