Johannesburg - To each his own. That is how to best sum up coach Steve Komphela’s response on Wednesday when he was quizzed about whether Kaizer Chiefs were falling behind in the transfer market compared to rivals Orlando Pirates, league champions Mamelodi Sundowns and even Bidvest Wits.
It’s been a month since Amakhosi unveiled eight new players. The general feeling was that last season’s squad was relatively average following a fifth place finish to surrender the Absa Premiership title. Over that period, the biggest transfer story has been that of Sibusiso Vilakazi leaving Wits to join Sundowns this week, with the Clever Boys gaining Mogakolodi Ngele and Cuthbert Malajila in a swap deal.
Wits also confirmed the return of Bafana Bafana goalkeeper Darren Keet after five years in Belgium.
Pirates have been just as busy, recruiting a new coach in Muhsin Ertugral before signing ten new players, including the Ajax Cape Town duo of Abbubaker Mobara and Riyaad Norodien.
Komphela, speaking ahead of Saturday’s Carling Black Label Cup, a pre-season match against Pirates where fans pick the starting line-up, said the Glamour Boys were staying in their lane and doing things“the Chiefs way”.
“It’s a business model. I don’t think they (rivals) have the same infrastructure we do,” Komphela explained.
“Our development is quite strong. We have made a massive investment there and we have to complement that because of the pace of the game these days. It is speed dependent and the only fast people are the young ones. It is just common to want to tilt the scale towards youth to get the energy. I don’t think we are disadvantaged. We are OK. They are dealing with their issues their own way. We are giving an opportunity to our kids here. We are not scared to play youngsters because they will give you what you want.”
Komphela admitted thatthe new faces at Chiefs did not necessarily fit to his playingstyle, but were brought in tosustain the club’s own identity.
He did, however, accept he would have to shoulder the blame should the upcoming season produce yet another barren campaign as it was a prerequisite for any Amakhosi coach to win trophies.
“They don’t meet my needs or my style of play per se,” the coach explained. “But we looked at how Chiefs need to play. It might take two months, four months or a year and you might even lose your job. You can’t be scared of losing your job. The joy of the people is much more than my losing the job.”
Komphelasaid the bar had been raised even higher in the lead-up to the new season, his second year in charge. In his maiden season, he reached the MTN8 and Telkom Knockout finals but failed to win either.
“The pressure is always there, and not because of any immediate circumstances or my own personal desires. But because of the game,” he said.
“Supporters demand quality every day. There are new expectations and there’s anxiety, but you have to get used to it. As you go through pressure, don’t abandon things you believe in.”
The Star