Doctor: There will always be 'those' fans

Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs supporters are an expectant bunch, and losing two cup finals within the space of three months has not gone down well. 

It has all made for a tough little period for coach Steve Komphela, who took over the reins at Naturena at the start of the season after Stuart Baxter spent three successful seasons in charge. 

But according to assistant coach Doctor Khumalo, senior management at Chiefs have been incredibly supportive of Komphela and the new direction the club is taking under his mentorship.

"Management … they’ve been phenomenal. They’ve been supportive from the beginning," Khumalo said.

But the fans might be a little less supportive, and if Chiefs fall any further behind in the PSL title race then the heat on Komphela is sure to rise a notch.

Chiefs are currently eight points behind table-topping Wits on the PSL log, making Saturday's Cape Town Stadium meeting between the sides all the more important for the defending champions. 

Both Komphela and Khumalo have been around long enough to know that there will always be dissatisfied supporters.

"We hear and read about individuals who are not happy about the way things are happening but we are not going to entertain that," Khumalo told Sport24.

"In this game there are those … even if you win games … that will tell you that you’re not playing good football.

"Some of the supporters want to see entertaining football, some of the supporters want results … some of them want both. It’s difficult to please individuals out there." 

It hasn't been all doom and gloom for Chiefs, and under Komphela they have lost just once in the league this season. But it is the six draws that have seen them slip behind Wits. 

And while the prospect of slipping 11 points off the pace looms large this weekend, there is no panic among the brains trust just yet and Khumalo says Komphela just needs time.

"The new coach coming on board … how he emphasises his philosophy, how the players adjust to it. We’re talking about Stuart having been there for three years and then Steve coming on board," said Khumalo.

"There are similarities that we are still emphasising in the team that Stuart had been doing, but there are also things that have changed. Coaches are not the same … we don’t emphasise tactical approach or discipline the same.

"I think we're okay." 

Kick-ff on Saturday is at 18:00.