JOHANNESBURG - A season without a trophy for Kaizer Chiefs is an anomaly. Two seasons is a catastrophe for the most successful team in knockout competitions in the country.
The club is starring at the possibility of two trophy-less seasons even though they have clawed their way out of their slow start to be among the Absa Premiership title contenders and reach the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup.
These two trophies are an opportunity for Steve Komphela to avoid an unwanted record and win his first knockout competition in his coaching career. Things seem to be finally coming together under Komphela, with the club going nine games without a loss in all competitions, easing the tension that had seen Chiefs’ fans call for Komphela’s head at one stage.
Daniel Cardoso, who worked with him at Free State Stars before, never doubted that the coach would get things right at Amakhosi.
“Chiefs are a big brand,” Cardoso said. “No matter what you do, it’s not enough. A draw is a loss for us. The fans will always be on his back. I have worked with Steve at Free State Stars and I always knew that he would turn things around. He is one of the best coaches in South Africa. All he needed was the support of the fans. It’s hard for Chiefs’ fans to not see any silverware coming to the club. The fans are starting to like him more now we are winning. If we can get silverware, it would be great for us.”
Chiefs were drawn against Acornbush in the Nedbank Cup. The amateur side stunned Cape Town City to reach this stage, so it will be a tricky encounter for Amakhosi, who have been eliminated by teams from the lower leagues in the past.
But before they can think about the Nedbank Cup, they have bottom-placed Baroka FC to deal with tonight at Peter Mokaba Stadium. Cardoso will be looking to make his 11th appearance in the encounter. The defender has had to wait a long time for his chance, not helped by the injury that put him out of action for most of last season.
“Being injured will always set you back,” Cardoso said. “But you have to be positive. I know my worth. I have come back from injury a few times. I believe in myself. I didn’t let it get to me. A lot of players struggle with injuries, they come back and they slump a bit. But I knew what value I brought to the team which helped me to adjust.”
Cardoso provides cover to what has been a strong central defence pairing between Mulomowandau Mathoho and Lorenzo Gordinho. He didn’t start his tenure under the best of circumstances, coming while the team struggled. But Cardoso was unfazed by that.
“If you are thrown into the deep end, you have to swim your way out of it,” the 28-year-old said. “I am here to help the team and the youngsters to improve their game. Coming from a team like Free State Stars, always battling relegation, this is good for me because I know hard times and how to get out of them. That helped me cope when we hit a slump.”