Former Chiefs coach attributes current slump to players’ “mentality”

Golden Arrows coach Steve Komphela has chimed in on the slump currently being experienced by his former side, Kaizer Chiefs.

The former Bafana captain spent three years at the helm of the Soweto Giants before an unceremonious exit which followed a Nedbank Cup semifinal defeat to Free State Stars in April 2018.

Steve Komphela comments on former employers

The Naturena-based outfit are again licking their wounds after exiting the very same competition in the Round of 16.

League form has also somewhat deserted Chiefs, who started the campaign like a house on fire, opening up a substantial gap at the top of the standings, which has since been reduced to four points.

Komphela has attributed the slump to the pressure that comes with the business end of the season.

“Towards the end as it is now, the final leg is nothing else but mental,” Komphela says, as quoted by KickOff.

“You cannot have the same crop of players who have been performing without stress at the beginning when there was no pressure. The same players now start to be jittery, then confidence, it is mentality.

“Now you need to work on a mindset and believe to say ‘listen, challenges will be there but you’ve got to do this thing that you used to do’ because you have to.”

Steve Komphela

Tough task ahead for Kaizer Chiefs

Chiefs have, at some point, enjoyed a 11-point gap on their closest competitors for the title.

After losing just once during the first half of the league campaign, the 2020 half started off on a losing note, with Supersport United banishing them to defeat.

Another defeat to Maritzburg United was followed by defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns edging even closer in the title chase.

Komphela believes Chiefs could still restore some lost ground.

“You look at it from a reality point of view, the gap is different, it’s four now, but very interesting and Sundowns is still going to play Chiefs,” Komphela adds.

“When the competition becomes fierce, then it becomes mental. Beginning of the season it’s about the physical part of the game and how coaches prepare the teams through the pre-season.

“Then it becomes tactical as they gel after about six weeks. Then the technical ability of the players, the physical conditioning depends how you set up.”

Steve Komphela

Chiefs next assignment is another tough one, a Soweto Derby clash against Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on Saturday.