“He Never Got the Ball!” — Kerr Blames Chiefs For Chivaviro’s Struggles
Former Marumo Gallants coach Dylan Kerr believes Ranga Chivaviro did not fail at Kaizer Chiefs.
Instead, he argues that the club failed to get the best out of the striker by not utilising him in a way that suited his strengths.
Kerr coached Chivaviro at both Baroka FC and Marumo Gallants and witnessed first-hand the qualities that made him one of the most sought-after forwards in South African football.
The 33-year-old enjoyed the best season of his career under Kerr at Gallants during the 2022/23 campaign, scoring 17 goals in 30 appearances across all competitions. Chivaviro also played a key role in helping Gallants reach the semi-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup, where he finished as the tournament’s top scorer with seven goals.
His outstanding performances attracted interest from several clubs, with Kaizer Chiefs eventually securing his signature ahead of the 2023/24 season on a two-year deal.
However, Chivaviro struggled to replicate his Gallants form at Naturena. During his two seasons with Amakhosi, he managed just nine goals and one assist across all competitions. Following an underwhelming spell, Chiefs opted not to renew his contract when it expired.
The striker has since revived his career in Saudi Arabia with Al-Adalah in the Saudi First Division League. In his first season at the club, Chivaviro scored 13 goals and provided three assists, once again demonstrating the goalscoring ability that earned him a move to Chiefs.
Kerr believes Chivaviro’s struggles at Chiefs were not due to a lack of quality, but rather because the team failed to play to his strengths.
“You know, I’m going to list the players that nobody would have ever thought about; they would have gone on to bigger teams and achieved better things, and I’m kind of proud of that,” Kerr told Sportswire.
“Ranga Chivaviro went to Chiefs, and he’s the type of striker you have to give the ball to. You’ve got to provide a striker with ammunition. If you don’t give a striker the ball in the penalty box, how is he going to score?
“You have to give him the ball, and at Chiefs, he never got enough service in the box, so he didn’t score. You’ve got to work to a player’s strengths, and he is like Mwape Musonda. In the box, he is amazing. He can’t run out wide, beat defenders on the wings and deliver crosses from the byline, but put him in the penalty area and his instinct is unbelievable.”
Kerr’s comments suggest that Chivaviro’s disappointing spell at Chiefs was more a tactical issue than a reflection of his ability, with the former Gallants coach convinced that the striker remains a lethal finisher when utilised correctly.
