Bra Steve is under pressure, again!

Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela. Photo: Samuel Shivambu

Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela. Photo: Samuel Shivambu

Published Nov 23, 2016

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We were so caught up in the war of words between Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane and his Kaizer Chiefs equal Steve Komphela we may have ignored the fact that the latter is right back where he started. The Amakhosi mentor showed class in how he treated the press at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday afternoon after we’d waited for over 45 minutes for him and Mosimane to show up for a post-match conference.

A genuinely nice guy, we all thought. But the 2-1 defeat against rivals Sundowns has put Komphela back into the pressure-cooker. I wonder if responses to questions about his new formation and how Mosimane had claimed it looked to be extremely defensive, covered up the fact that he has now gone on a four-game winless run and had dropped to fifth place on the Absa Premiership table before Tuesday night’s matches. But Bra Steve is not one to hide behind poor results as he’s taken full responsibility for a stuttering Amakhosi so far in his tenure. Sure, it’s early days yet. However, Chiefs fans will tell you that in comparison to Sundowns, SuperSport United and league leaders Bidvest Wits, the Glamour Boys aren’t the most convincing of title contenders.

Not long ago, the coach was under fire for being an under-achiever at his previous clubs and finishing his maiden season with Amakhosi without a trophy didn’t do him any favours. Today everyone’s confused by this 3-4-3 formation that Komphela is trying out, with defenders Sibusiso Khumalo and Ramahlwe Mphahlele playing as wing-backs who aggressively join the attack and help out defensively when needed - apparently. Mulomowandau Mathoho, Lorenzo Gordinho and Daniel Cardoso are deployed as the three centre-backs, but there’s been a lot of holes poked in this new style of play given the fact that Chiefs have conceded four goals in two matches and face a high-scoring SuperSport side tonight.

It may very well turn out to be a masterstroke, but here is the thing - Komphela shouldn’t still be experimenting in his second season with the club. There were as many as 10 players signed at the start of the 2016-17 campaign, but they should have hit the ground running. If you have to pause to think about the Chiefs starting line-up, then that simply suggests Komphela is seriously on a hiding to nothing. You see George Lebese and Lewis Macha in, then they are out. Keagan Buchanan is pulling the strings in midfield, then the next match he’s kicking his heels on the bench. Well, which player really does it for you, Bra Steve? It’s no secret that this has been a dream job for Komphela, a former Chiefs and national team captain.

Usually if you play your cards right in a hot seat like this one - winning trophies and championships as expected - then you might never have to worry about being unemployed for the rest of your career as a football coach. Look at Gordon Igesund, a man who’s won a league title with four different teams and hardly ever has to wait before he’s got a job offer on the table. Komphela better get his house in order or this might be his last coaching gig in the top half of the table.

Follow Mazola Molefe on Twitter@superjourno

The Star

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