Kaizer Motaung Junior says that his appointment into a senior role at Kaizer Chiefs has been his trajectory since the day he was born.
The 39-year-old son of chairman and founder Kaizer Motaung Senior and ex-Chiefs striker was appointed sporting director on Thursday in a first of its kind move in South African football.
The position will be similar to that which is filled at a number of the top European clubs, but is yet to catch on in South Africa.
Motaung Junior‚ enjoyed a successful playing career where he returned to Chiefs after a spell for the reserves of 1860 Munich. Upon his return he scored 30 goals in 106 appearances for Chiefs from 2003 to 2014.
After retiring from football, he pursued a business degree and obtained a BComm in financial management from Varsity College and has been working at Chiefs behind the scenes with no official title. The former striker has thus been groomed by his family members and senior management at the club to become a part of the club’s administration.
Motaung Junior will work hand in hand with new head of technical and the academy Molefi Ntseki and long-time football manager Bobby Motaung in handling all the footballing decisions at the club.
“To reach this stage in my career‚ since I was born this has basically been my trajectory‚” Motaung Junior said. “I started playing at the age of five and if I look back since then‚ that signalled my direction.
“Coming off the back of my playing career it was clear that I wanted to focus on the next stage‚ which is the administration and strategic side of football‚ and business side of the game.
“Having finished my degree in financial management it was quite an intentional move so that I could be able to understand the aspects of the business of football.
“This is what drives what happens on the field. And without the correct business principals‚ and that they align with the technical ones on the field‚ there is no footballing machine and institution.
“So it was vital for me to go and arm myself with that wealth of knowledge and understand what it takes to be in this industry of football.
“And I feel that together with my experience on the field‚ and now off the field for many years‚ I think I have gathered enough momentum to really put my hand up and put my two cents forward in helping the organisation reach its goals.
“I think I have a very sound knowledge of the culture and playing philosophy that this club is made of‚ and I look forward to being able to contribute again to making that a reality on the pitch and into other areas in the organisation.”
“I think the appointment of two positions that were not there before as a head of technical with Molefi Ntseki‚ and now sporting director‚ really signals our direction in our footballing strategy and where we want to go as a club‚” he said.
“It’s going to be a great honour to work behind some great football minds‚ like Mr Ntseki and our coach Stuart Baxter‚ and the likes of coach Arthur Zwane and our football manager [Motaung]‚ who are all part of the structural set-up in ensuring success.
“It’s a new phase in our organisation. And I think that it is a significant shift. And I think at this moment in time we know that a shift is needed to bring success.”
