Bloemfontein Celtic still flying high
• Players having fun, says Komphela after dream start
Bloemfontein Celtic coach Steve Komphela is taking his team’s flying start of three wins from three in the Premiership in his stride and says he is mainly pleased that his players seem to be “having fun”.
Bloemfontein Celtic coach Steve Komphela is taking his team’s flying start of three wins from three in the Premiership in his stride and says he is mainly pleased that his players seem to be “having fun”.
Komphela’s start at Celtic‚ with a third straight win — beating Orlando Pirates 1-0 at Free State Stadium on Sunday — has been one of the talking points of the beginning of the PSL season.
The coach, who left Kaizer Chiefs under a cloud in April, has a perfect record of three wins‚ five goals scored and none conceded. He resigned from Kaizer Chiefs after a violent pitch invasion at Moses Mabhida Stadium after a Nedbank Cup semifinal loss against Free State Stars.
Tshegofatso Mabaso is the club’s top scorer to date with two goals. Tebogo Potsane, Kabelo Dlamini and Bongani Sam have all been on target.
It stands in contrast to Kaizer Chiefs‚ who under new coach Giovanni Solinas have begun with one win in five league and Cup games.
“We are delighted with the results. The most important thing in the PSL is getting these three points‚” Komphela said in understated fashion after the win against Pirates.
“But again‚ it gives confidence and belief to the team and then there’s going to be faith. So that’s all we enjoy. Three points‚ three out of three‚ clean sheets‚ they [my players] are having fun. And we’re moving on.”
Celtic started the 2018-19 season with 2-0 league wins at home over Chippa United and away against Lamontville Golden Arrows.
On his team’s clean sheet in the goals conceded column‚ Komphela said: “It talks to the discipline in defence. And our defence starts from attack.
“Because most people think that defenders are the ones defending. No. Individuals defend‚ groups defend‚ the team defends. But all those start from attacking. Now when you attack you are set up already to defend. And when you defend you must know that you have to come out. So I think my players are controlling the phases of the match quite well.”
What makes Komphela’s early success at debt-ridden Celtic more remarkable is that he arrived in the preseason at a club up for sale and with players on strike having not been paid.
After three wins‚ Komphela says his players can prepare for their next match‚ when the coach makes his return to meet Chiefs at FNB Stadium on August 29 in a buoyant mood.
● The potential sale of Bloemfontein Celtic will be resolved “one way or another by the end of this month”‚ CEO Khumbulani Konco has said.
Free State business person Sinki Leshabane and Tshwane city manager Moeketsi Mosola are reported to be behind a R40m bid to buy Celtic from cash-strapped owner Max Tshabalala. The prospective buyers were given 30 days to come up with the money from the middle of August.
“We can’t say that it’s going to go through‚ but we just know that it’s going to be finalised by the end of the month‚ one way or another‚” Konco said.