Siboniso Gaxa Calls for Kaizer Chiefs to Rehire Doctor Khumalo as Assistant Coach in South Africa

There’s been a growing buzz among fans and former players alike for Kaizer Chiefs to reconsider their coaching staff and bring back a local legend as an assistant coach.

Many have pointed out that the team could greatly benefit from the expertise and experience of someone like Doctor Khumalo.

Could Khumalo be the missing piece to support head coach Nasreddine Nabi?

Gaxa Wants Doctor Khumalo Back at Kaizer Chiefs

Former Bafana Bafana player Siboniso Gaxa, who has had a successful career with top teams like Kaizer Chiefs, Sundowns, SuperSport, and others, has spoken out in favor of Khumalo’s return to Chiefs.

Khumalo, a giant in South African football, served as an assistant coach under Stuart Baxter during Chiefs’ last title-winning season in 2015.

Gaxa, with his vast experience in both domestic and international football, believes Khumalo’s presence would make a real difference for the team.

In an interview with SoccerLaduma, Gaxa shared his thoughts on what made Khumalo such a vital figure for the club.

“He made the team gel,” Gaxa explained.

“He’s the one who communicated well when Stuart was a bit harsh.

Sometimes coaches are a bit too direct, but with Doc around, he would calm us down and say, ‘Ah, don’t worry gents…’ It would be tense during training, but when he arrived, everyone felt at ease.”

Khumalo’s Impact on the Team and Gaxa’s Personal Experience

Gaxa went on to recall a particularly memorable moment from his time with Khumalo.

“There was a time when coach Stuart couldn’t sit on the bench because he was unwell, so Doc had to take over,” Gaxa recalled.

“We played Sundowns and won.

I remember the team talk at halftime – it was one of the best we ever had. We even talked about it after the match.

He was truly a Chiefs legend, both as a player and a coach. He was so attached to Chiefs and made everything amazing.”

Should Chiefs Follow the Models of Pirates and Sundowns?

Siboniso Gaxa’s comments about the value of having a local assistant coach raise an interesting question: Could Kaizer Chiefs benefit from adopting a similar approach to Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns? Both of these teams have foreign head coaches, but they also feature local South African assistant coaches in their setups.

This mix of local and international expertise has clearly worked for both clubs, and it may be a formula that Chiefs should consider.