The tone of Siphiwe Tshabalala’s voice was sombre, as if delivering a eulogy, which in a way is the case with Kaizer Chiefs’ aspirations to retain their league title all but dead.
Now Amakhosi talk about challenging for things like Q-Innovation, which is nothing more than a R1.5-million cheque for having a couple of good games. It comes nowhere near the glory of lifting the Absa Premiership that Chiefs did in style last season. This season, they have been blown away by the slightest of winds and are breaking the wrong kind of records, like the worst run in the club’s history when they lost four matches back-to-back without finding the back of the net and going for the whole of March without a goal. It’s a depressing ‘eulogy’ so it's safe to say that it hasn’t been the best of times for coach Steve Komphela and the captain Tshabalala - in their big breaks in these roles, where they have had to sound a lot like PR practitioners. But even when they’re in PR mode, what they say, speaks volumes of how far back the club has fallen.
“There were a lot of positives (against Mpumalanga Black Aces), we scored two goals. I can’t remember the last time we scored two goals in a game,” Tshabalala said.
The 31-year-old has been among the club’s leaders for a number of season but was only given the captaincy role on a permanent base at the start of this campaign after the departure of Tefu Mashamaite. He was tipped to captain the team in 2011 but coach Vladimir Vermezovic gave the armband to Itumeleng Khune arguing Tshabalala’s heart wasn’t at Chiefs with talks of an overseas move. Having had to wait this long to be captain, Tshabalala couldn’t have chosen a more difficult time, but he doesn’t regret taking over the responsibility.
“If I go through this, then I would know that I did my best and I didn’t crack. I’ll just keep on going. It helps me and it’s preparing me for the future when I am in a tough situation, I will be well-equipped to deal with it,” Tshabalala said.
Chiefs haven’t been equipped to deal with Ajax Cape Town this season. They lost the MTN8 final to the Urban Warriors and drew with them in the Mother City in the league. They will be looking for an improvement tomorrow night when they host them at FNB Stadium, on the same day that their arch-rivals Orlando Pirates will be in Durban against Golden Arrows.
Chiefs will be looking for a better treatment from their own fans at FNB Stadium, where they were booed off the pitch in their last two games there. Polokwane has been friendlier in the past for Amakhosi but when goalkeeper Reyaad Pieterse had the ball slip underneath his feet as Bhongolwethu Jayiya came close to scoring for Aces, the fans chanted Khune’s name.
“Mistakes happen in the game,” Tshabalala said, after admitting that he takes full responsibility for the second goal where he lost the ball. “Reyaad made a mistake. Even their goalkeeper (Jackson Mabokgwane) made a mistake. It is part of the game.
“We as players need to show unity. That even though it happens, we still support you. Even though you let the team down, we will protect you.” - The Star