Ernst Middendorp, coach of Kaizer Chiefs during the Absa Premiership 2018/19 match between Bloemfontein Celtic and Kaizer Chiefs at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane on the 27 April 2019 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

Ernst Middendorp, coach of Kaizer Chiefs during the Absa Premiership 2018/19 match between Bloemfontein Celtic and Kaizer Chiefs at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane on the 27 April 2019 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

Middendorp labels finishing outside top eight a ‘disaster’

Kaizer Chiefs ended the season outside the top eight after suffering a 1-0 defeat to Chippa United on Saturday.

Ernst Middendorp, coach of Kaizer Chiefs during the Absa Premiership 2018/19 match between Bloemfontein Celtic and Kaizer Chiefs at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane on the 27 April 2019 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

Ernst Middendorp, coach of Kaizer Chiefs during the Absa Premiership 2018/19 match between Bloemfontein Celtic and Kaizer Chiefs at the Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane on the 27 April 2019 ©Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix

A disappointing loss to Chippa United on Saturday brought to an end what has been a horror league campaign for Kaizer Chiefs, who suffered their lowest finish in the log in over a decade.

The Glamour Boys ended ninth in the standing, missing out on the top eight for the first time since the 2006/07 campaign, which saw the end of current coach Ernst Middendorp’s first stint at the club halfway through the season.

The German tactician was let go by the club first time around after languishing in mid-table for much of that campaign, with his successor Kostadin Papic also failing to improve their league standing.

Having been tasked with a rebuilding job after a indifferent first half of the recently-concluded season under Giovanni Solinas, the 60-year-old did not provide much in the way of consistent results, as Amakhosi finished by stringing a seven-match winless streak.

Speaking after the defeat at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, he expressed great disappointment in not making the coveted top eight.

It’s a disaster, absolutely a huge disappointment for not being in the top eight and not being part of the competition at the beginning of the season,” Middendorp told SuperSport.

“We take it. [We] hit the goalpost, there was also a chance to have a penalty, dominating and attacking but in the end we didn’t score. Now we’re standing here out of the top eight. Certain circumstances you can’t influence but I don’t want to comment furthermore.

“We couldn’t convert the chances we create and that’s not only today. We can probably go ten or 11 games in the second half of the season.”

Ernst Middendorp

Kaizer Chiefs still have a chance to return with something to show for their efforts this season, as they will contest the Nedbank Cup final against first division outfit TS Galaxy at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.