ALL EYES ON KOMPHELA
ARROWS COACH CAN HURT CELTIC WILL Steve Komphela, pictured, come back to hurt his former employers, Bloemfontein Celtic, or it will be the other way around?
Celtic take on Lamontville Golden Arrows today at Dr Molemela Stadium in the Free State capital at 3.30pm in an Absa Premiership tussle.
Komphela is now steering the ship at Lamontville Golden Arrows. He resigned from Celtic last year in December to take over the hot seat at Abafana Bes’thende.
He did a great job during his tenure with Celtic despite all the challenges that he faced. Players were not getting paid on time which led to them striking. It was difficult but Komphela still managed to deliver positive results.
If there’s one man who knows all about Celtic it is Komphela. He knows the ins and outs of Celtic. So will he use that to his advantage? Only time will tell.
Komphela got off to a flying start in his debut with Abafana Bes’thende last week – a 2-0 win over Maritzburg United in the Kwazulu-natal derby at Sugar Ray Xulu Stadium in Clermont.
Knox Mutizwa and Joao Moreira were on the scoresheet for Golden Arrows and Komphela will now be hoping for back to back victories.
Abafana Bes’thende have achieved good results at some difficult venues this season. They were able to hold Orlando Pirates, Supersport United, Free State Stars and Cape Town City to draws away from home while beating Maritzburg United 2-0 at Harry Gwala Stadium.
Komphela will now be looking to turn those draws in to wins on the road as he gears up to face his former employers. He knows that Dr Molemela Stadium is not an easy place to visit. His troops will have to be at their best if they want to get a positive result.
Celtic themselves started life without Komphela on a positive note last week. They were away to Chippa United and got maximum points with a 1-0 victory.
Lehlohonolo Seema and John Maduka are at the helm for Celtic. Like Komphela, the duo will be targeting back to back wins.
Celtic are sixth on the log with 24 points after 16 games. Phunya Sele Sele emerged as victors when these two sides met in the first round. Komphela was still in charge of the green machine. They swept past Arrows 2-0 at Princess Magogo Stadium in Kwamashu.
Abafana Bes’thende are 10th on the log and will be out to avenge the defeat they suffered against Celtic last year. Komphela is the same man that brought joy to Celtic supporters and the same man who brought that joy will now be looking to inflict some pain on his former employers.
Celtic, on other hand, will be out to make sure it is not a happy “homecoming” for Komphela.