The reason for all of this is that a new drainage and sprinkler system is being put in place in order to relieve some of the problems Chiefs have had in contending with the regularly changing weather pattern.

In the past season the turf at the Kaizer Chiefs Village had to be resurfaced a number of times because of the unusually high amount of rain that fell throughout the summer months.

With the new drainage system in place, Chiefs will be able to train during wet conditions as Amakhosi coach Ernst Middendorp explains, “ We need to be able to have a facility that no matter what the weather conditions are -our training programme is not affected. Last season we had a number of occasions when the training ground was turned into a mud bath, thankfully we have gone a long way toward solving that problem”.

Amakhosi team manager Bobby Motaung feels that by installing the new system Chiefs are once again setting a trend in local soccer “in Europe every ground has an internal drainage system and by Kaizer Chiefs installing one at our training facility we are setting a standard on pitch maintenance which hopefully will be taken into account when stadiums are being built for the 2010 World Cup.

With the amount of rain we receive during our summer months which coincides with the soccer season, it was important for us to make the necessary provisions”.

With Chiefs unveiling plans earlier in the week for a brand new home ground at a cost of R695 million, the Amakhosi will be testing its other entities towards ensuring that when their new stadium is being built it is done with the best provisions being made.

In terms of spectator, media and player comfort with a technologically advanced stadium in order to allow play to go ahead and lock out the weather if need be.