Former Kaizer Chiefs academy head, Cavin Johnson, expresses regret over ‘tainted image’ following his brief, tumultuous stint as interim coach.
Johnson was asked to step in when Chiefs parted company with Molefi Ntseki midway through the season. Under his watch, the Soweto giants finished a distant 10th place, missing out on a place in next season’s MTN8 Cup.
During his 251-day tenure at Naturena, the former Al Ahly assistant coach oversaw 22 games, securing six wins, seven draws, and nine losses.
The 65-year-old mentor has described his time at the helm of the South African football giants as challenging and unpredictable. In a candid interview with the OTW Podcast, Johnson compared coaching the Soweto-based club to navigating a minefield.
“For myself, at the moment, it’s a sabbatical, maybe two weeks….but we’re looking at doing something as a head coach job in Africa or in South Africa,” Johnson said. “I think I need to…my image has been tainted. If there comes a job as head of the academy in a club that has the ambition to really make superstars, I will do that as well.”
CAVIN JOHNSON TALKS ABOUT THE PREMATURE SOS CALL
Johnson revealed that he had no ambitions to become the head coach when he joined the club. However, he received an unexpected request from the chairman, Kaizer Motaung, asking him to take charge of the team.
Despite his reservations, Johnson agreed to help but admitted that he now believes accepting the role was a premature decision.
“I do think in one moment that the SOS call [to coach Kaizer Chiefs] was too premature for me,” Johnson added. “If I could do it again, I’d say no.”
Johnson emphasised Amakhosi’s unique culture, which he believes sets it apart from other teams in the PSL. He stressed the importance of understanding this culture before taking on the challenge of coaching the team.
“The culture at the team is very different from any other team in the PSL,” Johnson explained. “Chairman Kaizer Motaung has built such a big institution over the years. And you have to start at the beginning. Give me the job now at the beginning, and I’ll tell you what you need to do. I’ve acclimatised myself with who they are inside and then you’ll succeed.”
Despite the challenges he faced, Johnson expressed deep appreciation for his time at Kaizer Chiefs. However, he reiterated the unpredictable and demanding nature of the role, likening it to navigating a minefield.
“You’re walking into a minefield, and you don’t know where the bombs are,” Johnson added.
RELATED STORY: Chiefs show Cavin Johnson the exit door
