Publications
Partners
Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela quickly assured Kaizer Chiefs supporters that goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune will be involved once he's ready.
Chiefs fans chanted their former captain's name after seeing Reyaad Pieterse concede two goals in the first 45 minutes against Maritzburg United.
Amakhosi eventually came from 2-0 down to beat the Team of Choice 5-3 after extra time and book a place in the MTN8 semi-finals along with Ajax Cape Town, Bidvest Wits and Bloemfontein Celtic.
Following the conclusion of the MTN8 semi-final draw Chiefs are set to face Phunya Sele Sele later this month to determine who will get a chance to vie for the silverware.
"Welcome to football," Komphela said.
"There will be more of that. You appreciate that because this was a sign of the appreciation they have for the player.
"They were expressing their wishes. When they say that, you don't have to get angry as a coach. This is what they feel.
"The greatest benefit is that you are working with the players everyday at training. You say, 'I can hear, but I have a different understating to what you are saying?'
"You don't feel bad that they are saying it because history is pushing them to say that.
"He is a top performer. But the background that I have, I know what has happened in the past few days. Is he ready?
"Knowing better gave me the courage to say, 'no don't worry you will get him when he is ready.' It's something that we have to live with as coaches.
"We had made two substitutions by then and Tshepo (Masilela) was giving us an indication that he might not finish the match.
"You then ask yourself, 'do I pull the trigger?' and then when a lion comes out of the forest you have nothing. You hold that bullet in case of emergency."
