Last chance saloon for cupless Steve
Komphela has to earn new contract
Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela finds solace in the belief that it’s darkest before dawn as Amakhosi target the Nedbank Cup after three years of trophy-less torment.
The Ke Yona competition is the last cup on offer for Komphela before the expiry of his contract at the end of the season.
It’s a last chance saloon for the tactician from Kroonstad, Free State, to taste his first title success with Amakhosi in what could be his final season.
The Glamour Boys were drawn against Golden Arrows in the last 32 of the tournament on Monday.
“How long must we wait? Not for me but the supporters. Go back and check the Telkom Knockout with Sundowns in Durban.
“It does not happen when you have two penalties in a cup final and come up with nothing,” Komphela lamented.
“Against Ajax in the MTN8, a penalty, and then they score. Look at the semifinal of the TKO against Wits [last November].”
Komphela insists his team will not begin the competition against Arrows with a feeling that they have bad luck.
“We will go for it like any other match, not at the back of our minds with the thinking [we may lose].
“Everybody who plays against Chiefs, they pitch up. All our matches are extremely difficult.”
Fourth-placed Chiefs will look to maintain their current winning feeling after bagging three victories in their last five games.
They will travel to Polokwane to take on Baroka at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday, with a possible league championship also giving Komphela a chance to sign off on a high, should Amakhosi let him go.
“Wins will always ignite and inspire people but the beauty of it is that when our people are happy then they give us that positive energy.
“We can’t let go of that energy, we have to maintain it,” Komphela
said.