Teko Modise explains snubbing Kaizer Chiefs for Pirates in 2007 as Amakhosi return to Dstv Premiership action against Sekhukhune United
Kaizer Chiefs will take to the pitch for their DStv Premiership game with Sekhukhune United this weekend, after a major Covid outbreak in their camp.
Chiefs have had a two-week hiatus since their last league outing, a 3-1 win over Swallows FC at the end of November, and will be looking to continue their recent good run of results when they play host to the visitors hailing from Limpopo on Sunday evening. The match at the FNB Stadium will kick off at 18h00.
This will be Chiefs’ first meeting against Sekhukhune.
Chiefs have been on a good run of late, with one loss in the club’s last nine league outings, a run that also includes five victories. The club’s most recent success against Swallows FC will have lifted the confidence of coach Stuart Baxter and his team.
Chiefs will take on a confident Sekhukhune, who currently occupy second place in the league. A win for Chiefs, however, could see Amakhosi overtake them, which the club will be targeting.
Sekhukhune have been good travelers this season, claiming 12 points on the road, while winning 11 at home, the joint-most points won away from home this campaign along with Chiefs and Sundowns.
Sekhukhune have been good travelers this season, claiming 12 points on the road, while winning 11 at home, the joint-most points won away from home this campaign along with Chiefs and Sundowns.
Sekhukhune’s four away league wins this season is also the most by any team on the road this season. Chiefs will be aware that their opponents are good travelers. Having won three of their six home games this campaign, Chiefs have been stronger at home this season and will use their home ground advantage to make like difficult for their visitors.
There are some milestones on the horizon for Chiefs, with midfielder Khama Billiat set to feature for the 100th time in all competitions for the club should he play against Sekhukhune. It has been widely reported that Billiat is due to feature for the 99th time, but a number of outlets have left out an appearance from the 2018-19 CAF Confederations Cup Preliminary round first leg encounter against Zimamoto – a game in which he scored a hat-trick.
Bernard Parker also stands on the cusp of another Chiefs record. The club skipper is set to make his 271st league appearance for the club, which will see him go joint second on the list of Chiefs players in the PSL era, along with former Chiefs midfielder Thabo Mooki.
Currently, Parker on 270 league appearances for Chiefs is in joint third place with Itumeleng Khune, while Siphiwe Tshabalala with 292 league appearances is the player since 1996-97 who has turned out in the most number of league games for Chiefs.
The game will be televised on DStv Channel 202 and is the first of Chiefs’ final three league games of 2021. Three points from this game will help Chiefs climb back up the standings as Amakhosi look to end the year positively.
Teko Modise explains snubbing Kaizer Chiefs
Former Bafana Bafana international Teko Modise has explained his decision to snub Kaizer Chiefs in favour of a move to Orlando Pirates in 2007.
The attacking midfielder became one of the hottest properties in the Premiership after a breakout season at SuperSport United in the 2006/07 campaign.
Under the guidance of then United head coach Pitso Mosimane, Modise drew admiring glances from two of the country’s biggest clubs in Chiefs and Pirates.
And, when it came time to decide his future, Modise says he was urged to sign for Pirates by then-SuperSport coach Mosimane.
However, the incident that convinced him to join Pirates came when Amakhosi decided to send Siphiwe Mkhonza to meet and convince him to make a move to Naturena.
Modise says Chiefs’ failure to send a club official to meet him was the deciding factor in the end.
“I remember when I was still trying to figure out which team to consider, coach Pitso called me saying go to Orlando Pirates,” Modise said in an interview on MacG’s Podcast and Chill.
“I told him it is a done deal between Mamelodi Sundowns and me, but he insisted that I go to Pirates, and I listened to him.
“I was waiting for Chiefs to come. I did not care how much they were going to pay me.
“I have spoken to all the teams and spoken to club officials. Do you know what Kaizer Chiefs did? They sent a player to come and talk to me, while Pirates sent an official.”
Modise continued: “That is why I never joined Chiefs, because of how they handle things.
“They sent Sphiwe Mkhonza at that time because I played with him at Ria Stars to talk to me and I felt disrespected.
“No disrespect to Sphiwe, but I felt disrespected.”
