Steve Komphela remained mum on Kaizer Chiefs’ chances of ending their trophy drought following their impressive 3-0 victory against AmaZulu in the Telkom Knockout Cup.
George Maluleka, Hendrick Ekstein and Siphiwe Tshabalala found the back of the net to guide the Glamour Boys into the quarter-final.
Komphela was reluctant to comment on any questions pertaining to Amakhosi’s trophy drought for the past two campaigns.
‘Any match for Chiefs is important, and again in response to all the questions, one has to be very careful as to what you say, what implications, and when you don’t say, what implications,’ Komphela told SuperSport TV after the match.
‘If you downplay the fact that we have not been winning things, it is going to come across as otherwise. If you put it across against the question, it is opposite to that. I’m reluctant to respond.
‘It is the same question that is being asked. At Chiefs, you have to win things. Winning matches is important, winning trophies is the utmost.
‘Winning a trophy, you need to be winning these matches. The importance is so obvious.’
The Chiefs mentor says he would like to see his side win silverware ‘with or without’ him at the helm, having last won a trophy back in 2015 under the guidance of then-coach Stuart Baxter.
‘With regards to me, I’m trying to respond to the background. I’m a man of process. Any man of process must be selfless. As long as the process and path to the vision of the institution keeps being pushed, you are okay,’ he added.
‘Play your role up to until the level when they say “Okay, he has played his part”. It is all about the process, not the person.
‘I would like to see Chiefs winning trophies every week, every month and every year, with or without me.’
The 50-year-old insists AmaZulu proved to be worthy opponents after defeating Bidvest Wits and Mamelodi Sundowns in the Absa Premiership in September and October respectively.
‘I thought it was an entertaining match. You must be honest to acknowledge the fact that you came here knowing that this team have beaten the two strongest teams in the league.’
‘The minute you look at the set-up of their starting members, they had Mabhudi Khenyeza and Rhulani Manzini. We had to possess manpower.
‘Indeed, they were a handful. The first goal little bit deflated them, but they kept on coming,’ Komphela concluded.
Kaizer Chiefs will next tackle Polokwane City when the two sides go head-to-head in their Absa Premiership encounter at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Tuesday, with kick-off set for 19:30.
Photo: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
