How Komphela can turn things around at Chiefs
YET another defeat, this time to Cape Town City in the quarter-finals of the MTN8, has put Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela under an even bigger microscope. There is no denying the man in charge needs to quickly find a winning formula or otherwise risk his tenure with the Glamour Boys coming to a premature end.
Several key points have led to this poor start, and this is where Komphela must improve: have made way for the new faces. Komphela looked peeved when asked whether he agreed that he has started the season as he ended the previous one following defeat to Bidvest Wits in the Absa Premiership opener. Like it or not, it is a sad reality at the moment. Komphela seems to believe he can still achieve better results with the majority of players that couldn’t retain the league title and finished in fifth place. It is not a coincidence that Pitso Mosimane moved Ramahlwe Mphahlele to rightback while he was at Mamelodi Sundowns – he is more suited there than in the centre. He drifted to the right side of defence and pushed further forwards in the dying minutes of Friday night’s defeat in Cape Town, and was a much better option than Kgotso Moleko. Despite being versatile, Mphahlele was seen as a direct replacement for Siboniso Gaxa, but has been partnering Lorenzo Gordinho in central defence because of the unavailability of Mulomowandau Mathoho through injury. Chiefs might be better off trying out Daniel Cardoso in that role, leaving Moleko on the bench and allowing Mphahlele to thrive in his usual position. Another option in the middle of defence while Mathoho is still recovering is Siyanda Xulu, a player Chiefs spent a decent sum of money to bring him in on an initial four-year contract last season. He has, however, fallen out of favour with Komphela and was placed on the transfer list at the end of the previous season. Now might be a good time to actually kiss and make up, especially seeing that no team can afford to buy him. Perhaps if striker Edward Manqele, another player who was for sale, has been given a second chance, Xulu should get another look-in.