Kaizer Chiefs DDC coach Vela Khumalo has made an honest admission about the title defence, offering a specific reason why retaining the title will be a difficult task.
Amakhosi have gotten off to a slow start this season, managing only two wins, two draws, and suffering two defeats across their first eight matches.
Chiefs, who won the trophy last season with one game to spare, are eighth in the league standings with eight points accumulated so far.
Khumalo says they are “not sure” about defending the title because they’ve brought in younger players, marking the start of a new generation that will need two to three years to fully mature.
“We started very slow, I’m not sure about defending the trophy,” said Khumalo after their 1-1 draw with Sekhukhune United at Princess Magogo Stadium.
“We are in another circle or generation where we bring in 2008’s. Remember the team that won the [DStv Diski] Shield [in 2022] and the league [last season, it was the 2004’s].
“So, it was that generation, mixing it up with the 2006’s. But now, it’s a new generation that’s coming in, under 17.
“If you’ve seen, perhaps three or four players that are going to the [U17] World Cup are here, they played.
“I saw with [Mamelodi] Sundowns also which is very positive for our country. So, we’re bringing in the youngsters and we’re growing them, looking at the circle of two or three years again.
“I’ve said it before that the 2004’s are going to dominate PSL. Everybody is dominating now, they are playing in the Bafana Bafana and everywhere. They are coming from that generation.”
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