Komphela throws in towel
Dramatic scenes as Amakhosi lose
KAIZER Chiefs coach Steve Komphela never actually got around to saying “I quit” on Saturday”‚ saying everything but as he rambled on for eight minutes at the post-match press conference some 30 minutes after his side lost in the Nedbank Cup semifinal at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium.
It was vintage Komphela‚ dancing around the topic and frequently going off the message and not actually getting to the point.
He painted himself as brave but having to take a decision for the safety of others and managed to work in comparisons to Jacob Zuma and Arsene Wenger as he addressed the assembled media.
It took the club’s football manager Bobby Motaung‚ speaking directly after Komphela‚ to actually announce that the coach was leaving with immediate effect after failing to reach the final as Free State Stars beat them 2-0.
Here is what Komphela said‚ wordfor-word‚ in his final press conference:
“We to be honest‚ and frank‚ I don’t think we deserved the result but it’s part of football.
“We committed two errors and we paid the price.
“The first one we failed to defend the cross. Similarly with the second one.
“There was no threat‚ nothing major‚ even throughout the match‚ we never had problems except when we lost possession and they came on a transitional counter attack.
“The number of chances we created‚ I don’t know‚ I lost count. I had just accepted‚ ‘you know what‚ this ball is just not going to go inside the net. The minute you go to that level‚ you are saying ‘let’s see how far it goes’.
“If it goes in‚ it will. I don’t know how many of you picked up that Eksteen picked up the ball and kicked it in the net‚ maybe trying to say ‘I break this thing‚ this thing must just hit the net‚ maybe it will break it open for me’.
“But nothing happened. Do you falter players? Not at all‚ not at all. They gave their all‚ you cannot falter them. Mistakes we committed? Yes we did.
“Unfortunately one had to experience again a phenomenon that nobody deserves. I mean‚ we … Do players deserve this? Not at all.
“Do the sane supporters deserve this? Not at all Do I deserve this? I cannot judge because I would be selfish and more subjective but I don’t think players deserved this. I don’t think the supporters deserved this as well.
“Honestly speaking you look at it and say‚ on the back of that‚ do you still want to put people at risk?’ Because there is so much risk for these wonderful people who come and watch this game here. Other are not involved.
“Do you want to put players at this risk? You got to be honest enough and say‚ ‘nah‚ you cannot’.
“Do you want to put yourself at risk? I love dicing with fire‚ maybe the switch on feelings for me is just too low and it never gets hot.
“But again I don’t think anybody deserves this.
“And also administration … the culture and identity of Chiefs is such that we are very peaceful. the culture and identity of Chiefs is such that they are cordial. They are more rational than emotional.
“Now would one want to see a scenario where this persists? No‚ no‚ no. It’s not right.
“We faced this [violence] in Johannesburg and now in Durban and we playing again in Durban on Tuesday against Arrows.
“If it means I have to bring the calmness‚ listen to have to do that. Be responsible enough and say it‚ protect the players‚ protect administration‚ set an example and a trend that this must stop.
“If it has to stop by me being just outside the scenario‚ even with two matches to go‚ do it. There is nothing wrong with that.
“After 22 years at Arsenal when Arsene Wenger realised the seats were getting too red‚ he decided‚ ‘no guys‚ no‚ this will be the end of my journey’.
“This man does it with lots of honour‚ respect and integrity and it is highly appreciated.”