In the past, players would find it difficult to say no when Amakhosi came knocking on their doors, but over the last few seasons the Naturena-based outfit has missed out on individuals to rival clubs.
Chiefs were interested in signing both Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Sibusiso Khumalo, but they ended up at Mamelodi Sundowns first before making their way to Naturena.
Thapelo Morena, Anele Ngcongca, Lebogang Manyama and Sibusiso Vilakazi are just a few of the other players Amakhosi have missed out on.
In recent seasons, Sundowns have won the battle of signing players and it probably has a lot more to do with just money. Sundowns offer players a chance of winning titles regularly as well as the chance of winning the CAF Champions League title, which coach Pitso Mosimane takes seriously.
Amakhosi chairman Kaizer Motaung has previously spoken about how the value of players goes up when Chiefs show an interest in a player, but backing out of deals means that Amakhosi will continue to struggle to get the best talent the country has to offer.
So, can Amakhosi still attract the best players to Naturena?
“Yes, for sure they can. I think it’s just a matter of the funds being there,” former Chiefs left-back David Kannemeyer tells snl24.com/kickoff.
“If the chequebook is open, I am sure they can attract the best players. There’s still a lot of players who want to play for Chiefs. It happens in football where you have a dip, but it’s a matter of how you get back on top.
“Now it’s all about re-starting. If you are a player and you want to be part of the Chiefs family, are you going to look at the past or the future? I think the future is still bright for Chiefs.”
Pollen Ndlanya, another former Amakhosi player, believes they can attract the best players.
“Chiefs is a big team. They have not won anything for three seasons, so it’s a problem. They need to buy quality players. They need to open the chequebook and get players.
“I don’t know who does their scouting, but whoever does it has to do it well. Look at Sundowns, they signed the likes of [Khama] Billiat and [Keagan] Dolly. So Chiefs needs to do the same. They’ve got no choice but to open the chequebook and get the best players.”