Chiefs ‘needs to come together’
Kaizer Chiefs needed to “come together” and shoulder the blame collectively for bad form before the team could click‚ said centreback Lorenzo Gordinho.
Kaizer Chiefs needed to “come together” and shoulder the blame collectively for some stuttering form before the team could click‚ said centreback Lorenzo Gordinho ahead of the resumption of the Premier Soccer League on Tuesday.
Amakhosi return to action from the six-week break for Christmas and the Africa Cup of Nations against Free State Stars at FNB Stadium on Tuesday.
Chiefs’ mini run of form at the end of 2016 only comprised two wins in succession‚ 3-2 at home over Polokwane City then 2-0 away against Lamontville Golden Arrows. But given the pressure coach Steve Komphela had been under and the fighting nature of the two wins‚ Gordinho believes they will constitute a turning point.
He said a first win for Amakhosi in 2017 against Stars — who fired Giovanni Solinas as coach just before the break and appointed former Bloemfontein Celtic boss and Safa technical director Serame Letsoaka — could be crucial towards proving that point.
“We realise that Stars have a new coach‚ so their approach will change‚” the defender said.
“But we have to impose ourselves on them because we are Kaizer Chiefs. And I just think we’re raring to get going and start off 2017 well.
“Our two wins before the break were a turning point. Maybe it came at the wrong time‚ before the break‚ but we’re going to continue with that mentality into the second half of the season.”
Gordinho said Chiefs found their togetherness at the end of 2016. “Just realising that we’re a team and a family. And to deal with the pressure together‚ and not let one guy do it alone‚” he said. “Not let the coach stand alone‚ or let a striker be blamed for not scoring‚ or the defenders for conceding.”
Gordinho had a break that involved some fact-finding that might stand the 22-year-old defender’s second half of the season in good stead‚ training briefly with English Championship side Fulham and having a trial with Danish club Aalborg.
“The experience was good. It taught me a lot — especially about the way they conduct themselves over there‚” he said of his week with Fulham.
At the same time SuperSport United defender Clayton Daniels said the expectation to win trophies at the Tshwane club is the same as at city rivals Mamelodi Sundowns‚ or Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.
SuperSport resume their Premiership campaign at home to Lamontville Golden Arrows on Wednesday‚ and have also drawn ambitious National First Division side Royal Eagles in the Nedbank Cup Last-32.
“Everything is important for us‚ we want to challenge for all the cups that are available‚ whether it’s the league‚ Nedbank Cup or Confederation Cup‚” Daniels said.
“Our squad is healthy enough to do our best in each and every competition we play in.
“At this moment we are top [of the league]‚ but that doesn’t mean anything. It only matters come the final game of the season‚ and if we are still on top then.”