Steve defends his actions in defeat
Sibongiseni Gumbi
With his team having suffered a major setback just seven minutes into their Absa Premiership match against SuperSport United when Erick Mathoho was sent off, it was Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela’s bizarre substitutions that left many astounded on Wednesday.
At the post-match media conference Komphela was at pains to explain why he took off a defender when he had already lost one to a red card – he brought on Daniel Cardoso for Lorenzo Gordinho.
“It looked crazy at the beginning,” said Komphela. “What happens on the bench is something very special. You have to be there to live it and understand.
“As soon as the red card happens you immediately ask yourself questions. ‘Do you take off an offensive player and put on a centreback to release Willard Katsande into the midfield? Or leave Katsande there?’
“We left it for a while and it became clear a change had to be made and there’s no way you’d have compromised a ‘Pule’ (Ekstein), ‘Shabba’ (Siphiwe Tshabalala) or Bernard Parker – I thought all did well,” added Komphela.
The 50-year-old mentor stood by his decisions and said they worked to stabilise the situation. Amakhosi did well in the second half and put Matsatsantsa on the back foot for most parts of the match and could have staged the biggest comeback of the season so far had it not been for poor finishing up front.
After the match Amakhosi supporters stayed behind and started chanting that Komphela had to go while others appeared to be vandalising the venue as they looked for things to throw onto the pitch in frustration after the 2-1 defeat.
The defeat has put the spotlight on the Amakhosi management as fans have used every available platform to voice their dissatisfaction with Komphela with some urging him to resign.
The club could face disciplinary action for their fans’ behaviour but the Premier Soccer League had not commented on the matter by late yesterday.