Kaizer Motaung

Kaizer Motaung (born October 16, 1944) was a South African soccer player and founder of the Kaizer Chiefs Football Club, of which he is still (as of 2007) chairman and managing director.

Early life

Born in the Orlando East section of Soweto, Motaung first played professional soccer at the tender age of 16, for Orlando Pirates.

His entry into international soccer occurred in 1968, when former West Ham United player Phil Woosnam (who was manager of the Atlanta Chiefs franchise in the then-recently formed North American Soccer League (NASL)) recruited Motaung after team trials in Zambia.

NASL career

Despite struggling to come to terms with the weather and overcoming injury, Motaung made his North American debut as a substitute in a friendly game against Manchester City, scoring two goals in the process. He continued to play brilliantly for the rest of the season, scoring sixteen goals in fifteen matches, making him the top scorer in the league that season. As a result of this achievement, he was voted "Rookie of the Year" and gained a place on the NASL’s All Star Team.

Kaizer Chiefs

When Motaung returned to his home country in 1970, he decided to start his own professional soccer team. Motaung named his club "Kaizer Chiefs" after himself and his former NASL team. Another South African, Jomo Sono, also a former player for Orlando Pirates, joined an NASL side New York Cosmos in the late 70s (1977). He also returned to form his own professional soccer team which he named "Jomo Cosmos" after himself and his former NASL team, New York Cosmos. Currently both clubs still play in the South African Premier Soccer League.

Despite early setbacks and opposition, Motaung succeeded in assembling a good mix of veterans and talented rookies and the club soon became a force to be reckoned with. Due to Motaung’s charisma Kaizer Chiefs soon had a large following, even drawing supporters away from the (until then) pre-eminent Orlando Pirates as well as those who had previously not supported any local soccer club.

Within a short space of time, Kaizer Chiefs became the most successful team in South Africa, winning more than 78 trophies and gaining an estimated 14 million supporters throughout the country. Indeed, it is often jokingly stated that Kaizer Chiefs do not really play any away matches, as their supporters always outnumber those of the home team.

As of 2005, Motaung is still at the helm of the club he started. One of Kaizer Chiefs' most recent achievements is winning the Mandela Cup African Club Championships in 2001, despite it only being the club’s second season in the competition.

Soccer administrator

Motaung has also been very active in South African soccer administration, having served on both the National Soccer League (NSL) and South African Football Association (SAFA) executives.

In addition, Motaung co-founded (with Orlando Pirates' Irvin Khoza) the South African Premier League (PSL) in 1996, which helped bring more sponsors and money into South African professional soccer.

Motaung currently still serves as a member of the PSL’s Board of Governors, while also still running Kaizer Chiefs and being on SAFA’s executive committee. He has also indicated that he would accept a position with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) or on world soccer’s governing body, FIFA.

Motaung was voted 73rd in the Top 100 Great South Africans in 2004. He also assisted South Africa's 2010 World Cup Bid Company and was a member of the delegation that went to the FIFA head office in Zurich to be declared the winning bid. Subsequently he was also appointed as a member of the local organising committee for the 2010 event. Also in 2004, Motaung was given the Entrepreneurial Leadership Award by Henley Management College, South Africa.

In February 2005 it was announced that Motaung would join the board of Primedia Limited as a non-executive director. Primedia is South Africa's largest private media holding company and owns 40% of Kaizer Chiefs. He has also served as a director on the boards of many other companies such as Royal Beechnut, Simba, New Age Beverages and Get Ahead.