You dare not write Bucks off – just yet
Erasmus vows the Mthatha side will fight to bitter end
MTHATHA Bucks striker Mpho Erasmus thinks it’s a good thing their rough patch this season in the National First Division hit them before the second round, saying this was the best time to make mistakes.
They face high-riding Highlands Park as their next port of call at Mthatha Stadium tomorrow afternoon.
The former Zizwe United prolific striker, Erasmus, who had an incredible ABC Motsepe League season closing with 48 goals before signing with Amathol’mnyana at the beginning of this season, said he had been unlucky in a number of games now.
The goal hound said even though they facing tough times in the league, there was nothing to be worried about as they will again soon find their feet in the game.
“We’re just unlucky at the moment and that’s affecting the whole team –hence we not doing well at the present moment.
“In football that time arrives where a team struggles and as a player you have to accept that.
“Even African champs Mamelodi Sundowns have just come out that phase, but now the same thing is affecting Bidvest Wits [who are at the bottom of the log on 10 points] but people won’t understand.
“But when it comes to me I’m committed to the team 100% and so is everyone else at Bucks, we all feel the same way, we just need time and we’ll start collecting those points.
“That’s football for you and another example is Kaizer Chiefs who have played five draws in a row and they have just suffered another defeat at the hands of Chippa United, who we beat in the OR Tambo Soccer Challenge.”
Amathol’mnyama were forging ahead with their preparations to take on Highlands Park who are at the summit of the log-standings with 26 points, while they are sitting on 12th position on the table with only 13 points.
“We are playing at home and we are going to beat Highlands Park because every team that comes to Mthatha know it’s not easy putting us down.
“The preparations are going quite well it’s just a matter of passing this unlucky phase.
“And I think it’s for the better if it happens now, so that we can pass it and when we close we know we’ve had our fair share of rough patches.”
Erasmus thanked their fans for their undying love and support as they have continued to attend their games even though Bucks haven’t really managed to give them the victories they yearn for.
“We are grateful to the supporters because they always come in numbers and some of them sacrifice their last R20 to buy tickets to watch us play. So it’s understandable if they are starting to panic but on Saturday we will try and make them happy because we are going for a win.”
Erasmus said they planned to use the home advantage to steal the much needed three points to improve their position on the log.
Bucks have experienced an even more challenging time since following the departure of the ex- coach Ian Palmer, with news the club have suspended two players, Sifiso Ntjolo and Luyolo Nomandela, for ill-discipline on and off the field. KAIZER Chiefs’ wastefulness in front of goal has everything to do with confidence that coach Steve Komphela asserts is being eroded by abuse on social media.
Komphela says players are taking less risks these days and attempting less innovative moves because they are scared of the negative feedback that follows failure.
“Unfortunately we are living in the social media era where everything is in the players’ faces‚” he said. At the end of the game the player goes out and checks [what is being said about him]. If he has missed chances‚ they say he is a cow‚ he is this and that.
“That player is obviously going to be affected emotionally and mentally and he is not going to be the same player in terms of trying to score in the next game.”
Komphela says there is much less space in the modern game with tighter and better organised defences and therefore players need to be even more creative if they are to prise open opportunities and score goals. But because of the abuse they are increasingly reluctant. He won’t want to get into a position which is going to expose him because after trying and failing he faces abuse‚” the coach added.
Chiefs missed several good opportunities on Wednesday night as they went down 1-0 to Chippa United at the Nelson Mandela Stadium and have now scored just twice in their previous six outings.
Their total for the league season so far is a paltry 11 in 13.
The defeat means they are without a win in their last five league games‚ increasing the pressure on Komphela‚ who says his coaching job is being split between on-field work and acting as a psychologist.
“Any coach must have some level of skill of being as psychologist. “You are dealing with emotions. “If they are high‚ you must detect and bring them down.
“If they are too low and you feel they are just about to crumble‚ you have to lift them. When you determine what action to take – to lift them up or bring them down go Mother Earth – it calls for a certain level of understanding.
“At the end of the match‚ when the referee blew the whistle‚ you could see all the gold and black shirts [Chiefs] were down.
“The first thing that comes to mind is ‘what message are we sending?’ You have to immediately lift them up because it is not only about the players going down but it is the depression they send to their own [supporters] in the stands. It is not only for coaches to inspire players but it is also for players to stand on behalf of their people. We have to show character‚ that we’ve taken it on the chin and we can say‚ ‘I still have my head held up high’.
“You need that because if you drop your shoulders you are depressing those who support you‚” added Komphela. — DDC