Micho’s chance to become an Orlando hero

As Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela has admitted, the stakes are high going into this afternoon’s Absa Premiership Soweto derby with Orlando Pirates and there will probably be a winner this time around – or at least I hope so.

Both are in the title chase and have nothing to lose but everything to gain as they look to lift a cloud of shame hanging over them should they fail to win any silverware this term having gone a full three without a trophy.

With a new coaching team at the helm, Pirates have played down their title ambitions, citing a rebuilding process as their reason to not want to talk up their chances of stealing the trophy from firm favourites Mamelodi Sundowns.

I think that is just talk and nothing more. There is no team in the world who would not want to win a league especially with their chances so good. The Buccaneers just want to be the hard horses in this race but know they can’t afford not to make a run for it.

The worry is that should Pirates win the league this time, it might be detrimental to their rebuilding process as they would have to start planning for the Caf Champions League as well. This would mean Micho would have to jump or forego some of the stages in this rebuilding process and rush his team into action.

We all know how seriously Pirates take the Caf competitions

Sibongiseni Gumbi

when sometimes their participation has led to poor runs in the domestic league and cups. I would think rebuilding a team who had hit a low as Pirates did when they finished outside of the top eight for the first time since the inception of the current format PSL, would take at least two years.

Winning the league, however, could be a good omen too for Micho. This would be giving fans something to chew on while he continues with his job in peace. It would also give him the necessary power over his players as they would know he has endeared himself to the supporters.

It is heartening to see how Micho has managed to minimise player power in the Buccaneers camp. Before the last derby, he called himself the man for derbies, claiming to have played in over 16 around the world. If he knows what’s good for him, he will ensure they beat Chiefs today which would make him a hero in Orlando.

But in recent derbies, both teams were rather cautious and cared more about not losing than playing to win. Tomorrow should be a different story though. Amakhosi will definitely be looking for full points as a draw or defeat could see them slip further back in the title race – something Komphela can ill-afford with his future theoretically depending on the club winning a trophy this season.

Amakhosi have not registered a clear-cut win except for the 3-1 win over Arrows in the Nedbank Cup, which was also not really an easy win for them as Abafana Bes’thende were all over them. But this could be their biggest chance to register their intentions by beating a team who are seen as their biggest rivals.

A big win over Pirates would surely give Komphela’s team the needed stimulus to go all the way and claim their first piece of silverware under his guidance.