‘STOP BLAMING KOMPHELA’
Highlands threat for Chiefs
ONE man is not to blame for Kaizer Chiefs’ continued woeful showing, according to Willard Katsande.
The tough-as-teak midfielder was speaking ahead of Chiefs’ Absa Premiership clash against Highlands Park at Makhulong Stadium (7.30pm), where Amakhosi will be seeking to end a barren start to the season.
Steve Komphela has taken the flak for overseeing Chiefs’ poor run of one win in 15 matches, but Katsande is having none of it.
“It is unfair to criticise the coach because we are a club, so it’s like us as players criticising your own teammate. We all need to take responsibility and raise our hand and say we need to play better,” the Zimbabwean said, shielding the embattled Komphela from some of the scathing criticism directed at him.
But he backed his teammates to find their footing. “Obviously, we need to turn [things] around to get back to the winning ways. Kaizer Chiefs is a big team whereby you need to win games and trophies. When you are a professional, you need to adjust to any situation, so we are working towards trying to pull out of this situation. Like I said, we are the ones who are going to take ourselves out of this situation,” added the 30-year-old.
Chiefs’ downfall this season has been the fact that they have conceded in the first half in all their three matches against Bidvest Wits, Cape Town City and Platinum Stars, so they have been forced to chase the game. The man who could add to Chiefs’ woes is none other than their former striker Collins Mbesuma.
The Zambian is already off the mark after scoring the winner in their first match of the season against Baroka in Tembisa over a week ago.
Mbesuma reckons that his partnership with Charlton Mashumba, who also scored against Baroka, will continue to cause problems for the opposition. “We’ve been training together for six weeks, so we understand each other and we hope this is the beginning of good things,” added Mbesuma.
Elsewhere tonight, Free State Stars host Arrows, while SuperSport travel to Maritzburg United. Both matches start at 7.30pm.