Johnson's apology to Chiefs fans and way forward to arrest the slump

Chiefs were booted out of the cup competition by Motsepe Foundation Championship side Milford FC, as they lost 5-4 on penalties at FNB stadium last night.

READ: Sead Ramovic admits TS Galaxy remain willing to sell best players

Johnson was hoping to become the coach who ends the nine-year trophy drought in Naturena but instead, he’s the latest to apologise.

''Ja, you've got to apologise to them, the millions of suppers that we have and I'm sure they have seen the game on television. 

''It's not that we allowed the team to come at us, I mean they never had a shot at goal - but we tried the best we could, in order to get as far as we could at this particular tournament, but we lost it. The only thing we can do is repay the people by playing well in the league,'' said Johnson.

Chiefs have had eight coaches in a space of nine years, since they last won some silverware in the 2014/2015 season under Stuart Baxter.

Asked what the club would need to do to change the current situation, Johnson shared his thoughts on the way forward.

''As the coach now, do I have to take nine years on my shoulders, it's a lot of years. I think as a technical group and players - some have longer contracts than me, we have to do proper inspection and look at how we can finish the season at the high, so we can show the public as to what we are doing in order to change it,'' added Johnson.

In recent seasons, Chiefs has signed some good players and most of them come to Chiefs as Bafana Bafana regulars, but they struggle to replicate that form once they put on the Amakhosi jersey.

Johnson’s original position at Chiefs is the Head of Youth and Academy - after spending four months with the senior team, this is his assessment of the situation.

"Whoever comes to Kaizer Chiefs - this is a big institution, it is important as a player that you analyse where you're going to and why you're signing for this club. 

“We will get into the business whereby players have to analyse the position they are going to play and what they have to do for this club to maintain the history we have,'' he concluded.

Johnson has also explained the tactical changes he made in the extra time as they were chasing a winning goal.

He brought in two defenders Njabulo Ngcobo and Dillon Solomons for Happy Mashiane and Zitha Kwinika, and also changed the structure of the defense to a back three.

Johnson is an experienced coach who has a good track record as a youth coach in South African football since the mid-90s.

He’s also coached top-flight teams in the PSL like the now-defunct Platinum Stars, SuperSport United, AmaZulu, and Black Leopards.

He also had a short stint at the African club of the Century A Ahly in Egypt as an assistant to Pitso Mosimane.

He doesn’t believe that Chiefs’ latest embarrassing result will dent his image.

Chiefs are currently sixth on the log standings, with 25 points from 17 matches.

They are 22 points behind runaway log leaders and defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who also have two games in hand and chasing their record-extending seventh league title in a row.

It’s a tall order for the once mighty Amakhosi.