Kaizer Chiefs may be in for drubbing against Sundowns — Shane McGregor

Former ace Kaizer Chiefs marksman Shane McGregor believes Amakhosi are in for a serious hiding from ruthless Mamelodi Sundowns if the Soweto giants continue to play the way they have recently.    

Arthur Zwane’s flimsy Chiefs are next in line for coach Rhulani Mokwena’s well drilled, blisteringly in-form Masandawana, who have won 11 Premiership matches in a row.

The two giants of SA football meet at FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday (8pm).

Fourth-placed Amakhosi host runaway log leaders Downs — 14 points clear at the top of the log — on the back of two defeats, including their 4-0 drubbing at the hands of AmaZulu in Durban last Friday.

Chiefs also suffered a 4-0 loss when they met Sundowns in the first round of the league at Loftus Stadium in August, and McGregor cautioned it could be worse on Saturday if his old team are unable to tighten several aspects of their play.

“Offensively they are very bad,” McGregor said. “And the coach [Zwane] keeps making excuses [like], 'If they scored a penalty, if this, if that, if they didn’t make this mistake'. But they are still making mistakes and he is doing nothing about it.

“For me, if they play the way they have been it’s going to be a hiding from Sundowns. Simple as that — they have got to improve 200%.

“Defensively they have to make major improvements. If they don’t wake up they are going to be in big trouble.”

Chiefs supporters’ patience with Zwane — the former player, youth mentor and long-time assistant coach, whose promotion before the 2022-2023 season was welcomed with great excitement — seems to be wearing thin.

While McGregor believes Amakhosi need to beef up their squad with high-profile players who will suit their style of play, he also believes Zwane needs to partly shoulder the blame for the team’s performances.

The 1990s legendary striker questioned Zwane’s selections, including his overlooking experienced centre-back Eric “Tower” Mathoho, though other defenders repeatedly commit costly mistakes.

“It’s a bit of both [the squad and the coach], honestly,” McGregor said. “They need players and we know that. He [Zwane] is saying the group of players they brought in are good enough and we have seen they are not good enough. Especially at the back.

“For me, if you watched the Carling Black Label Cup [game against Orlando Pirates in October], yes it was a friendly cup and we know that, but the fans voted ‘Tower’ in and Chiefs looked solid at the back,” he said.

“He made the team look solid at the back, but where has he been since then? He has never played.

“At this stage you should play your best players who will give you the results, not who you like or don’t like.”

Chiefs have gone an unprecedented seven seasons without silverware and with the league looking to be going to Sundowns again, their only chance to end the trophy drought this campaign will be the Nedbank Cup.