VICTORY for Kaizer Chiefs against Black Leopards in Thohoyandou on Saturday will temporarily extend their lead at the top to 44 points - 12 points ahead of nearest rivals Mamelodi Sundowns who will host SuperSport United in Atteridgeville on Sunday.
This is where the mental strength of the coaches - Pitso Mosimane and Ernst Middendorp - comes to play.But Middendorp has been keeping a cool head while Mosimane has been making contradictory pronouncement about the league race.
Here is what Mosimane said on Tuesday at their Chloorkop base ahead of their league match against Orlando Pirates, which they lost 1-0 to Gabadinho Mhango's strike.
Mosimane explained how the title is won: “I want to chase, that’s what am good at. When you chase you are putting pressure on the team at the top. If they don’t have the mental capacity, then it’s just a matter of time before they collapse and that is when we will pounce. Don’t undermine the role that experience plays because we have plenty of it at Downs. I know how to deal with a team on top.”
It is a fact that Mosimane faced Pirates with a makeshift squad, which is not the team that he would have prefered, with injuries of Ali Meza and Mauricio Affonso; while Phakamani Mahlambi just returned from injury and is not at his best, as well as Gaston Sirino who is a shadow of his former self.
Themba Zwane was suspended for the match against Pirates.
But in his post match interview at Orlando Stadium midweek, Mosimane retorted: "Why should I worry about nine points when other teams don’t worry about nine league titles. We have nine titles, we can lose four hey, and still leading (in titles). We want to put that star (Caf Champions League) that no one has.
"I always tell players that we might not have it this year, what about next year. Liverpool hasn’t won the title for so many years, but this year they are going for it.
"Are we doing that bad? We are in the champions league, top of the group, that’s a big one. This one (league) we can always come and miss then get it. I fought for it with Chiefs for two years and I lost it once, they got tired, came Wits they chased and won once they got tired.
"Pirates came twice with Rhulani (Mokwena) two years in a row, they got tired. Chiefs are back, but once you have a common denominator, which team has won it in the past seven years? (Sundowns), so take a chill pill man.Maybe we should pause it for four years (not winning title) and when someone makes it nine then we get our tenth title."
Now who must take a "chill pill?"
