FOR almost two seasons running, Ramahlwe Mphahlele has not tasted success with Kaizer Chiefs.
Amakhosi have endured a two-and-a-half-year trophy-less spell under coach Steve Komphela. Does that bother Mphahlele, SunSport wanted to know.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect to win trophies right away. When I joined Mamelodi Sundowns it took me some years to win something. It takes time.
“We just have to be patient and keep working. In football you keep trying. You don’t give up when things don’t work out. Eventually it’ll come.
“You never know how long it will take. It can take three, four years, but it will come,” explained Mphahlele.
Their barren run could end this season, as they are in the running for the Nedbank Cup and league title.
Mphahlele looked like a man who has taken strain as he addressed the media ahead of training in Naturena on Thursday morning.
It hasn’t been the best of times for him since he joined the Soweto giants two seasons ago, watching as chances of adding to four major career trophies passed him by.
But he reckons all is not lost and that Amakhosi can win Ke Yona and qualify for the Caf Confederation Cup.
“We should be inspired, seeing Sundowns in Caf. They have the experience. We also need to get into that space. But let’s qualify first,” Mphahlele said.
Trailing league pacesetters Sundowns by eight points, Chiefs will need a dose of luck to stay in the running for honours.
They host AmaZulu at FNB Stadium on Saturday (6pm), looking to avoid losing further ground on the top three sides.
Mphahlele added: “AmaZulu are fighting for their lives. They are a good team, but we need to take care of them.
“We have to win because if we do, we are still there with the leading pack. We don’t want to drop further back, especially on the back of a defeat. We have to try and bounce back in the league.”
AmaZulu have been bouncing in and out of the relegation zone like a yo-yo.
They are among the five teams on 27 points, just three above the danger zone, and need to win to ease their relegation worries.