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Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs captain Siphiwe Tshabalala insists it is up to the players to fight for Steve Komphela following a rocky start to life under the new coach.
The former Maritzburg United and Bafana Bafana tactician was named Stuart Baxter's successor at the beginning of the season, inheriting a Premiership and MTN8 double-winning squad.
Komphela came close to defending their Wafa Wafa crown in September but lost the final to Ajax Cape Town, while five draws from their opening 10 league matches have left question marks over the side's title credentials this term.
Tshabalala, though, insists their situation is nowhere near as bad as is being perceived, telling KickOff: "We respect Bra Steve and we enjoy working with him.
"He is a quality coach and I think he just needs to be given a chance. It is his first season, hardly three months and we were in the MTN8 Final, but sadly we lost.
"And we are in the top five on the log and we've only lost once, so we need to give him the opportunity and the support as well.
"As players, we need to fight for him, we need to fight for this badge and for ourselves as well."
Meanwhile, Shabba and his Amakhosi troops will face their arch-rivals Orlando Pirates in order to secure a spot in the finals of the Telkom Knockout.
Kickoff is at 15:00 on Saturday, November 7.
