Katsande: Derbies a mental thing
Having already played in 27 Soweto Derbies, Willard Katsande is qualified to know what it takes to win one.
The Kaizer Chiefs workhorse is likely to lead the side when they run out to meet Orlando Pirates in a Telkom Knockout quarterfinal match at Durban’s Moses Mabhida tomorrow afternoon.
Based on recent form, Chiefs are favourites to go through but Katsande says the match is usually won by the team who have the bigger hunger for it on the day – with form books and everything else inconsequential in the derby.
“Come match-day, whoever wants it more will take it. So we must show from the first minute (that we want to win it),” said Katsande who is among Amakhosi’s tried, tested and trusted old guard.
“Derbies are more in the mind than anything else. With the crowd you can get carried away and forget about your objective but we need to be more aggressive and take the game to them, not undermining them because it’s a derby,” he added.
With their excellent start, which saw Ernst Middendorp’s side bolt off to lead the race in the league – they have collected 22 points in nine games – Chiefs have slowly started winning back the trust and support of their followers who were disgusted with their misfiring team last season.
But a cloud still hovers above the Naturena side as they are now in their fi fth season without any silverware. Beating Pirates tomorrow gets them closer to ending the long-standing drought.
Katsande said winning the Shell Helix Ultra Cup recently brought back fond memories to the team and they now want the real thing even more.
Winning the TKO is important for Chiefs as it will allow Middendorp space, time and the much needed trust from the fans to build the team he has envisaged. But losing to the Buccaneers could undo all his hard work as those who do not believe in him will have more ammunition.