Steve wary of complacency from Arrows
Coach talks up cup opponents Galaxy
Golden Arrows coach Steve Komphela has cautioned his troops to guard against complacency when they host National First Division (NFD) outfit TS Galaxy in the Nedbank Cup semifinals at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium on Saturday (3pm).
After their 1-1 league stalemate with provincial foes AmaZulu at the same venue on Sunday, Arrows aim to reach their first cup final since winning the MTN8 in 2009, at Galaxy’s expense. Divine Lunga equalised for Arrows six minutes after Sadat Ouro-Akoriko had given Usuthu an early lead. “The first thing is to acknowledge Divine Lunga of Arrows shields the ball from Ovidy Karuru of AmaZulu in Sunday’s match.
the strengths of Galaxy and that we playing at home should not [give us] any false sense of hope that we will win it,” Komphela warned.
“We played away three matches [in the early stages of the competition]. We played Tjakastad [Junior Shepherds], Witbank Spurs and Bloemfontein Celtic, we came through. Now we are playing at home, the biggest thing would be complacency at worse [because] we’re playing a team from the NFD.” Komphela also underlined the importance of leading by example in making sure his players do not underestimate their second-tier opponents. “If I report at 8.30am [to training] am I going to report at 8.45am? What’s the message I am sending to the players? Maybe I must report at 8am to magnify the importance of this match.”
The ever-diplomatic Arrows tactician again downplayed his chances of winning his first major trophy as a coach. “I am a teacher, I am not a coach! I am there to improve a human life. If success comes at the back of a human life being improved, it’s OK. But if there’s no success that’s tangible, which is a cup or whatever and a human being is successful, to me that’s success.”