Football Legend Expresses Heartbreak Over Kaizer Chiefs' Struggles

South African football icon and former Kaizer Chiefs player, Jan “Malombo” Lechaba, has expressed his deep disappointment over the poor performance of his beloved club, the Kaizer Chiefs. In a candid interview, Lechaba publicly aired his heartbreak at the current state of the club he served for over a decade, noting that it is a far cry from the glory days he remembers so fondly.

Lechaba expressed his anguish at the decision of Hugo Broos, the Bafana Bafana coach, to overlook Chiefs' players for the national team. The misty-eyed icon remembered a time when the Chiefs were a reliable provider of talent for the national team, and broke records on the international stage.

His own time at Chiefs was a golden era, culminating in the 1984 season when the Chiefs won every trophy available. He shared nostalgic memories of playing with legendary figures such as Banks Setlhodi, Peta Bala’c, Ryder Mofokeng, Jackie Masike, Ten-Ten Nzimande, Vusi “Computer” Lamola.

Following his fruitful tenure wearing the coveted number 15 jersey for the Chiefs and the national squad, Lechaba passed it on to Doctor Khumalo. Alluding to the significance of the jersey number, he stated that it gained momentum and associated respect during his playing days.

With the current state of local football, Lechaba expressed his concerns, citing an excessive concentration of wealth in the sport. He opines that high earnings and an extravagant lifestyle often inhibit players' performance on the field.

Lechaba recalls his own playing days with humility, remembering that talent alone was not enough to succeed. According to him, the winning combination included determination, discipline, and respect- lessons he learned from Kaizer Motaung.

Despite the pain surrounding the club's current challenges, Lechaba expresses hope for the future. His dream is to set up an academy, to guide young players with his wealth of wisdom and experience. For now, he only asks that the game he loves be treated with the respect it deserves.