All Komphela’s eggs are now in his CAF basket

The PSL standings is black and white for Kaizer Chiefs players and their coach, Steve Komphela.

Johannesburg -The PSL standings is black and white for Kaizer Chiefs players and their coach, Steve Komphela – the cold, hard facts of a side who have fallen extremely short of their heights from the previous campaign.

So, it would have been rather naïve of Komphela to give any other response but concede that the title race is over for the defending champions following a 2-0 defeat to Platinum Stars on Wednesday.

Clearly dejected, the Amakhosi coach all but threw in the towel after the midweek loss to Dikwena meant that the 13-point gap between log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns and third-placed Chiefs remains, with only eight matches remaining.

All Komphela’s eggs are now in the CAF Champions League basket, he said. But the coach acknowledges that to go all the way in a continental tournament is now even tougher, as he needs to inspire his men to a first-leg victory at home to ASEC Mimosas in tomorrow’s first-round clash.

“It’s amazing that in as much as you win (Chiefs’ six-game unbeaten run in the league was halted), it is all about winning the big things,” he said. “You carry on winning but you won’t get the sweetness of wins up until you win something (silverware). As it is, it feels empty.

“We have complicated things. Sundowns will obviously play and they don’t give away matches because they are enjoying a rich vein of form. If they get three chances, they will take two. That is why they are flying as we speak.

“We didn’t do ourselves any favours by losing against Platinum Stars. I’m not a quitter or a person who gives in, but I acknowledge the fact that it has become even more difficult.”

At this stage last season, Chiefs were in pole position to clinch the league title under then coach Stuart Baxter – who took over at SuperSport United two months ago – and were eight points clear and pretty comfortable at the summit.

But a year later, the tables have turned as a barren season looms. Even if they were to reach the final of the Champions League, Amakhosi would do so well into the new season as the decider is usually scheduled for November.

Komphela said he faced an uphill battle to mentally prepare a team faced with the reality of not lifting a single trophy, having twice walked onto the winners podium last season after their MTN8 and PSL triumphs.

“I will have to remind them of the worst results where people had comebacks at the back of setbacks. It is not easy, but goes back to what coaches are. Beyond being a tactician, to an extent you have to be a psychologist,” Komphela said.

“I have players now waiting for me to pass on (encouraging) words because there is another match (tomorrow). So I cannot drown my head in my sorrows.

“We look to the next match, the CAF one and then another league match (against Jomo Cosmos on Tuesday). If we look at our season overall, it will give us a bad reflection.”

Is the Champions League now his saving grace? “I think so,” Komphela said. “That is the one we say, ‘listen, if there’s a fish we can chase, it’s this one’.

“It is still fairly open and there for the taking, but won’t be as easy. The beauty of it is that you will play at home, get a (positive) result, and go away to try wrap it up. But it will be affected by how we feel, which means we have to quickly forget our setbacks.” - Cape Times