Komphela receives further backing

Cape Town - Last week Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela received chairman Kaizer Motaung's backing, and now he has got the support of team manager Bobby Motaung.

While Amakhosi have shown improvement this season with some consistent performances, the club’s fans have not always been happy, with some calling for the head of Komphela to roll after a campaign without a trophy.

But, team manager Motaung echoed his father when he said that Komphela was on the right direction, and that the club would stick by him.

"You don't change coaches like that," Motaung was quoted by SowetanLIVE website.

"How many years did it take for Gavin Hunt to be fighting to win the league (with Bidvest Wits)? It’s the same story with Pitso (Mosimane). He got there (at Mamelodi Sundowns) when they were buying everyone. But he changed that.

"Chiefs took 47 years to be where it is today. It has never been about overnight success - we don’t want that."

At the end of the season, Chiefs’ technical team will hold a review  and report back to management, pointing out areas where they can improve.

"We will be having workshops next week to review the season. But the idea that we can dispose of a coach after he has worked hard to build a team over two years doesn’t apply to us. Imagine we fire him now and another coach comes in to ride on his hard work?

"The truth is Steve has been a bit unfortunate. We have played well this season. How do you blame him for the last minute goals we conceded in the latter part of the title race," Motaung added.

While Komphela has not been getting any love from fans for giving youngsters a chance, Motaung lauded him for how Lorenzo Gordinho and more recently Ryan Moon have come through this season.

The duo, along with Siyabonga Ngezana and Emmanuel Letlotlo spent the early parts of January at Fulham in London with Craven Cottage cult-hero John Pantsil.

Gordinho has since put in reassuring performances at the heart of Chiefs’ defence, while the 20-year-old Moon announced himself on the big stage with a beautifully taken goal against Golden Arrows two weeks ago.

"Steve has been brave enough to change the team and promote players who were not given a chance before."