Durban – Coaches Steve Komphela and Pitso Mosimane both ramped up the pressure and gave their views before Wednesday night’s Telkom Knockout final between Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban.
“This match means so much to the fans. I mean the tickets were sold out in two hours 50 minutes. It shows the seriousness surrounding the magnitude and the interest in this game, which I feel both teams will definitely live up to, “ said Chiefs coach Komphela at a media conference.
“It’s going to be a beautiful event, Reconciliation Day it is, a nice outing for people, a great event, but for us it remains a football match. It’s a second final in three months for the players, they want to get something before the end of the year and we want to do the supporters proud.
“It wasn’t a nice feeling losing in the MTN8 final. But this is different and all you can do is, what are the lessons you pick up from that one.”
Said Mosimane: “We have to understand and respect the Sundowns supporters. They know what they deserve and so they always ask for what they deserve. They know the quality we have and we’re expected to win. When you come to Sundowns, you should know the expectations. If you don’t have the shoulders to carry that then you’re in the wrong place.”
Komphela added that this was no ordinary match. “The temperament itself is going to be different. I think if you had the luxury of playing matches on the back of stats, I’m sure would say to the PSL…’You tally stats and you tell us whose winning.”
“Being at Kaizer Chiefs is about results. You can win all 29 matches in the (Absa) Premiership, and somebody wins 30, you are a loser. So what I am effectively saying is you can come as far as the final, but not win, it’s not good enough.”
Mosimane said Chiefs were probably favourites to pick up the trophy. “Chiefs are big on experience and I think if you consider the stats, we are at a slight disadvantage.”
Said Komphela: “We’ve only lost two matches at Chiefs. The Orlando Pirates match and the MTN8 final, but it is not enough. So it tells you about the expectation. Everybody would like to be in that house, when everybody in that house wishes to be outside.”
And finally from Mosimane: “Some guys have got butterflies in the stomach, some anxiety creeps in and what they usually do, they don’t do. These are things that the players have to deal with. We are not psychologist and it’s up to them to deal with it.”
African News Agency