Johannesburg - Had they heard what Ernst Middendorp had to say after his team clinched the Absa Cup on Saturday, Orlando Pirates would probably have accused him of being an ungracious braggart.
His Kaizer Chiefs were entirely outclassed, creating just two scoring opportunities in comparison to Pirates' 19, but Middendorp saw no reason to credit the opposition.
Clutching a gold medal, the Amakhosi trainer appeared to have a dip at Pirates for their style of play which, while laudably aggressive and exciting, has yielded absolutely nothing in the past 24 months. Football is not only about running around, it's also about tactics, the German said.
The Pirates technical team headed by Tebogo Moloi will surely take offence but, after Middendorp's three Soweto derby victories in seven months, he could afford to claim that he's got their beating.
"We had only one clear chance for the entire match, but we knew Pirates were going to run hard - with or without the ball. They invest nearly everything in attack, particularly in the first few minutes and we were prepared for that."
Middendorp was clearly defensive-minded at first, banishing David Obua to leftback, and as the hard-running Pirates became jaded in the second period, the Ugandan moved into central midfield.
Obua was able to assume control, albeit only momentarily, but his presence in midfield meant Pirates had to reform in midfield to keep him in check. He punished them twice from that position this season.
As Middendorp shuffled his pack around in the second half, there was no shift in approach from Pirates. They have not had a plan B for two years, and the blame could perhaps be laid at departed Kosta Papic's door.
Still, Moloi, his temporary replacement, ought to have known how to unlock Chiefs. Moloi was seen getting instructions from Phil Setshedi, the Pirates team manager but that did not seem to help.
As Amakhosi celebrated their only trophy of the season in the rain, Kaizer Motaung was the most pleased of all.
"After losing the league title, we had to go for this competition and I'm happy that we got it," said the Chiefs owner. He too could not miss the opportunity to have a dip at Pirates.
"We deserved it as we had a tougher path to the final. We played against teams of calibre such as SuperSport, Black Leopards and Sundowns. Pirates mainly played against amateurs."
Middendorp departed to cheers and shook hands with fans who waited for him to pass down the tunnel leading to the dressing room.
It was a magnificent conclusion to his first season at the helm of Chiefs, considering that several times at the start of this term he has required a police escort out of the stadium.
The three wins over Pirates have certainly gone some way in aiding him to forget all that.
"That's a small personal triumph for me," he said of the hat trick over Bucs.