Chiefs coach Komphela rues a string of poor performances

JOHANNESBURG: For the last time this season, and it is unclear whether it was his final words as Kaizer Chiefs coach, Steve Komphela, pictured, shouldered the bulk of the blame for Amakhosi’s fourth place finish in the league, as well as a second year without a trophy.

He said he didn’t want to make excuses, but in going through crucial matches of the season and how Chiefs had dropped points or were knocked out of competitions, it sounded like the coach was already rehearsing how he would ask for one more chance.

Chairman Kaizer Motaung has spoken out already, earlier this month suggesting Komphela perhaps deserved to see out the remainder of his contract with the club. However, this was before Amakhosi lost two of their last three matches to close off what has been an awful season according to their lofty standards.

“If the question is ‘do I think I deserve to stay on as the coach?’ then I have to be careful with my response, lest I fire myself,” said Komphela following a Chiefs win that didn’t matter much.

They beat Bidvest Wits 1-0, but the Clever Boys were already in a celebratory mood having clinched the championship more than a week prior.

“I don’t think at any stage when you are at Chiefs not finishing at the top is good enough. I cannot bring any excuses. I have to accept the status quo and rectify,” Komphela said. “If I look at all four tournaments during the season – how we lost in the MTN8 in Cape Town with one counter-attacking move; then the Telkom Knockout against Free State Stars when we played beautiful football but lost on penalties... then you come to the Nedbank Cup, where we got a penalty in extra-time and we missed it and were denied a semifinal spot; and lastly the league we threw away 18 points in eight matches... If you look in a more objective manner, then you see we can do much better.

“I don’t think the title was difficult to win, but we have ourselves to blame for not winning it.”

Komphela said Chiefs will have to beef up the squad for the upcoming campaign, although he wouldn’t reveal in which departments. Motaung said two weeks ago that the club would have too look at bringing in a defender or two after conceding in the dying minutes of crucial matches, which ultimately, many feel, cost them the title.