Teams not over-awed by the big boys anymore

After Baroka FC defeated Kaizer Chiefs 2-1, this shows teams are no longer intimidated by the fact they are going up against the big teams in the country, and that is what we need to see in our football.

What is interesting about it is that Baroka told everybody they were going to beat Chiefs. Normally, coaches would be polite and nice, saying Chiefs were a big team, but this time around they were not scared and they stated that whoever comes and faces them, they would “kill them”.

That type of attitude has been working for Baroka and they need to be applauded for that. On the contrary, it has not been a smooth start for Steve Komphela. He finds himself in a tight situation because right now the fans are demanding his head.

What was good in that same situation at the Moses Mabhida Stadium is that the players rallied behind the coach when the fans were throwing missiles at him after the game.

He is not the one who is playing, as we know, it is the players. It was a bold move for them to stand with the coach and accept the responsibility. However, we know that Komphela is the one who makes the final decision on the playing personnel and how the team must play.

I do understand the fact that the fans are frustrated, but they need to be patient because the season is still new and there is a lot to play for.

At the end of the season, Chiefs will be able to see where they got it wrong, rather than to sack the coach now and come end of the season they still cannot identify the actual problem they are facing.

When you look at the standings, the margin is not that huge, a swing of two or three positive results can see you back in it. And this goes for everyone. All the teams in the league have a chance to do well. I know the Chiefs fans are not used to finding themselves in this situation whereby they go more than two seasons without a trophy.

One thing that should be considered is that Komphela has promoted some youngsters and they are still finding their feet in the team. This is a phase that happens to the greatest teams in the world.

We cannot attribute the stagnation of Chiefs to the departure of Doctor Khumalo. Yes, we see his influence at Baroka from behind the scenes and that is working for them. You may find out that if he had been given the same role at Chiefs, the team would still be experiencing the same situation.

In the case of Bidvest Wits, it’s not that the team has not been playing well, it is just that the results have not been coming their

way. We know of the alleged feud between the new players and the older ones.

It is a matter of man-management from the technical team, led by Gavin Hunt.

They have to manage this situation at the highest level possible and make sure there is unity in the team and that the fighting spirit is there at all times. Gavin has to manage his dressing-room because it is the only defining factor right now that can turn the situation around for them.

It will be very difficult for them to work as a unit if the clash of personalities continues within the team. We saw when they beat Orlando Pirates that the other players who did not feature in the beginning of the season were brought back and they fought hard.