Former Kaizer Chiefs defender Rodney Thobejane has identified what he thinks could be the missing link at the club.
Amakhosi find themselves on the verge of missing out on a top-eight spot, with side sitting in seventh position with only eight league matches remaining.
After Tuesday's defeat to Stellenbosch FC at FNB Stadium, Thobejane says the club has enough quality to bring back the glory days.
Johnson: We need the points more than any team
"If a situation is like this, as a coach you can do whatever you do in terms of tactics, but if the players are not mentally strong to face the challenges they are going through, you won't get the result," Thobejane tells KickOff.
"What Chiefs need to do now is get somebody who can speak to their players, some of them might be going through individual problems.
"Some might be playing under duress, and they are scared to make mistakes and even to commit themselves
"If a team is winning everybody wants to play, but if a team is losing matches everybody is scared to play, hence every player that is currently playing at Chiefs right now is going through hell.
"It's about their mental strength, they need to be strong. What is important right now is to find out what's causing these players not to perform.
"There could be something that is eating up the Chiefs players inside, but they are scared to voice it out.
"The club needs to sit the players down and talk to them 1 v 1. That’s the only way they will be able to get to the root of the problem.
"The coach tries everything to help them, but it won't help if the players are not mentally ready.
"It's a known fact that in football if your mind is not 100% the body will not perform.
"These players are not losing games on purpose, but at
Read on snl24.com