A winning Kaizer Chiefs is good for the country - Lucas Radebe

The retired defender commented after Amakhosi opened their 2024/25 Betway Premiership season by defeating Marumo Gallants 2-1 in Bloemfontein last weekend. 

Chiefs finished 10th last season and watched on during the first few weeks of the new season as teams competed in the MTN8, and speaking exclusively to SABC Sport, Radebe says positive results from the Glamour Boys uplifts the spirits.

"I mean it shows the magnitude of the impact of the club, not just in South Africa, but in Africa, because it's a big club, and it's important that they do well," said Radebe.

"They lift up the spirit of the country, just by winning their first game – and not just winning, but I think they played very well – you could see the players they've acquired, [Gaston] Sirino, and all of them.

"They are doing well because they now realise that they're playing for a big brand, and that brand needs to be at the top level.

"When you have teams like Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, who have done well – Sundowns have set the standard, and we have to live up to that, as Kaizer Chiefs.

"Because we know how big that brand is and what it does to the community when the team does well."

The former Bafana Bafana captain was, however, quick to warn that Chiefs should not rush into aiming for trophies, but must first work on stability and consistency.

"I don't think we can expect success in terms of winning trophies, but I think it's all about being stable – get the consistency going, get the players they need, and get a proper structure in success first, and then we can talk about trophies after," he added.

"Because then at least we can maintain the success that we have, and for me that's very important. This is what I see happening at the moment with [Nasreddine] Nabi and his technical team coming in, and also the players that are there, especially the young ones.

"You can see the confidence in them [players], you can see there's a new man at the helm of the club, and I think he's giving them that inspiration."

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