Sight of Wits lifting cup hurts Chiefs

Amakhosi will do guard of honour for new champs

Everyone is hurting at Kaizer Chiefs after another disappointing season in which they finished empty- handed.

To rub salt into their wounds, they will have to give new Absa Premiership champions Bidvest Wits a guard of honour when the two sides meet at FNB Stadium tomorrow (3pm).

Speaking to Amakhosi players ahead of the clash, they admitted that it would be a bitter pill to swallow watching Wits being officially crowned as SA’s kings.

“I would have loved for us to be the ones there [celebrating],” said midfielder Joseph Molangoane, who has been one of Chiefs’ standout performers with four goals in 19 matches.

“To be honest, it’s been great for me here at Chiefs but the problem is we’ve been unlucky. I would wish that we would be lifting the trophy on Saturday.”

Even more hurt is Amakhosi’s old guard such as captain Itumeleng Khune.

“First of all, on behalf of the club, I want to congratulate Wits and yes, they deserve the guard of honour,” said Khune.

The PSL’s Luxolo September says it is up to Chiefs whether they want to do a guard of honour, but Khune hinted that the team will be willing to do so.

After all, Chiefs themselves received a guard of honour from Wits in their penultimate clash three years ago when they won the title.

“It is so heartwarming when you walk out of the tunnel and you see other players giving you a guard of honour,” Khune said.

The 29-year-old insisted that Chiefs will bounce back.

“It’s been two seasons running for us without winning any silverware. We are not happy and we are not proud. We have to go back to the drawing board and see where it went wrong,” Khune added.

Chiefs players shoulder blame

Chiefs officials including club boss Kaizer Motaung have leapt to the defence of coach Steve Komphela after yet another disappointing season.

Komphela appears to have the players’ backing.

“He is a very good coach who deserves better from us players,” said captain Itumeleng Khune.

His sentiments were echoed by defender Daniel Cardoso: “We only have ourselves to blame. We dropped too many points – too many draws. It has nothing to do with the

coach.”