KAIZER Chiefs coach Steve Komphela has hit back at his employers who have their minds set on reconditioning the club at the end of the current season in order to start 2018-19 with a fresh side.
That is something the outgoing coach feels won’t be necessary, despite the current crop failing to live up to expectations – and dololo trophies in their cabinet in the last three seasons.
Komphela insists Amakhosi have yet to reach a stage of “adjournment” – this as the club promises that “decisive changes will have to be implemented at the end of the season to remedy the situation”.
The former Bafana Bafana captain and coach roams the grounds of Naturena with a bad record, having been unable to win a trophy since he replaced Stuart Baxter in 2015. The Nedbank Cup is his last chance to give their fans something to cheer about.
Komphela is well aware his last hope to leave Naturena retaining an element of pride is to win the Ke Yona Cup, where they face on-form Free State Stars in the semifinal at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday (8.15pm).
Said the Chief mentor: “The first year, we said in any team formulation there is a forming stage.
“After that there is a storming phase, where there are dynamics in play, in terms of those coming in or likely to go out.
“Then there is a norm-ing stage and we have gone past that as well. I think Chiefs are at a performing stage now and getting results.
“Winning trophies would be a positive reinforcement to players rather than a redemption. The challenge of working on a process towards success is not an easy one, but success is sweet.”
Added Komphela: “This team has just been formed, to be honest. Even if you were to ignore facts and stats, if you look at our age group, some are 18, 19, 20, 22 . . . You have the likes of (Siyabonga) Ngezane – a lot of them are teenagers. Even if you were to say this team is approaching adjournment, which one – because this is just the beginning of a journey?”
Although Komphela still has one more challenge, to bring what would be his only trophy to Naturena, it seems he knows that the management has already made a decision about his future.
“When you are at Chiefs and the end-of-season audit is made, they consider things, there is a lot of stuff that happens. We submit reports and based on that we take decisions. And clearly, when you are at Chiefs or any other big team and you end a season in a certain position, has it met requirements? If not, then deliberations are made.”
However, Komphela insists the fact that this is their last chance to win some silverware in his three-year spell doesn’t add any pressure to his life: “Nothing. If there is anything to be called pressure in what we have been through, then you don’t know what pressure is.”
Komphela is confident his side will overcome Stars to reach the final, having put the setback of a shocking 3-0 league defeat to Chippa United behind them by beating relegation-haunted Platinum Stars 1-0 at the weekend.
“The Chippa game was disastrous, we didn’t perform for whatever reason, we just suffered too many injuries and it didn’t make our life easy. We were not fluid against Platinum, there was not much rhythm, but we were effective. I hope that result assists us going into the Free State match. Our training session should be more about rhythm and trying to bring energy and confidence to players and supporters.
“It is a difficult one. But the good of it is that we played them in the league, we know their weaknesses and strengths. The most important thing for us is to go through to the final.”
