Steve Komphela decodes the Soweto Derby

Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela says his side must not be "edgy" or "relaxed" if they are to win against Orlando Pirates. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/Backpagepix

Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela says his side must not be "edgy" or "relaxed" if they are to win against Orlando Pirates. Photo: Samuel Shivambu/Backpagepix

Published Mar 3, 2017

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JOHANNESBURG - One of Steve Komphela’s unforgettable quotes this season was that you don’t simply surrender the title with a single defeat after Kaizer Chiefs were beaten by Bidvest Wits in their Premiership opener in August.

Tomorrow’s Soweto Derby against rivals Orlando Pirates is far from a championship decider, at least for Amakhosi who are still in the hunt for the trophy, but winning a match of this magnitude is a mental boost not even a credible shrink can mastermind. Not only does this fixture carry the benefits of unique bragging rights, but Amakhosi will also be eager to right the wrongs of the goalless corresponding clash in October, as they are still hurting from consequences of that result.

“We played three draws after that,” Komphela recalled a memory he tried to suppress. Wrong. Following the share of the spoils against Pirates, the Glamour Boys played to another goalless stalemate against lowly Baroka FC, were booted out of the Telkom Knockout quarter-finals by a struggling Free State Stars and came unstuck away to defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns. In total, Chiefs didn’t win their next seven matches after being held by the Buccaneers.

“I didn’t want look too much into that because then I feel I might attract the same sequence,” Komphela continued. “The cycle is almost similar now in that we are playing Pirates on the back of six matches where we won five and drew one.

“We want to take this derby as one of those matches, but it is a big challenge because you have to work on the mindset of the players. I wish I could rub away what has been said and written about Pirates being underdogs coming into this match because players tend to relax when they hear such.”

Amakhosi fans went into a slight panic last weekend before Komphela’s men scored late to earn a point away to Ajax Cape Town - a defender, this time Daniel Cardoso, bailing the team out with the strikers yet again being goal-shy. The coach is still confident Chiefs are genuine title contenders with 11 matches remaining and his side trailing log leaders SuperSport United by a single point. It is, however, important to be aware that Wits and Sundowns have two and five games in hand, respectively.

“We can’t be edgy playing in a derby,” said Komphela. “Imagine you ask your kid to bring eggs in the kitchen and warn them that if they break them you won’t have dinner because it is the last batch. This match is not a make or break, but it is crucial in chasing the premiership. We need to remember that at this club sometimes even a win is not enough.

“What I mean by that is if you win your match, but your rival for the title still goes on to win theirs and eventually the trophy, you have lost. That is why we have to keep our eyes on the prize.” 

Komphela said the assertion that Chiefs were favourites to win the Soweto derby because Pirates have just acquired a new coach in Kjell Jonevret was

misleading. “You can’t say you will take advantage because Pirates remain who they are with mostly the same good quality players they had when they were campaigning in continental competitions for instance. How quickly can they grasp the new coach’s methods? Can it last for 90 minutes? That is what we will manage during a match,” Komphela said.

Cape Times

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