Football
Nick Said, Special to ESPN 7y

Two games in and already crisis talk at Kaizer Chiefs

It might only be two matches into the new season, but already there is an air of crisis around Kaizer Chiefs and more questions being asked of coach Steve Komphela.

Chiefs have not won a trophy in the last two seasons, a rarity in their glorious 47-year history, but they are already out of the MTN8 in this campaign after a 1-0 loss to SuperSport United in the quarterfinals. That was followed by a 1-1 draw at Bloemfontein Celtic in their league opener on Sunday, another performance that did little to suggest the side are silverware contenders again this season.

While others like Mamelodi Sundowns, Bidvest Wits and even Cape Town City have some 'zip' to their play, Chiefs have rather lumbered along in the opening two matches of the campaign and look far from pushing the favourites.

It would be unfair to pass all the blame on to Komphela; the club's recruitment under football manager Bobby Motaung remains shoddy and underwhelming. But the coach is there to find ways to improve the team and it is fair to say it has simply been 'same old, same old' in the now two-and-a-bit seasons he has been in charge.

Defensively the side looks solid enough, but from the midfield forward they are at times ponderous and lacking in creativity. In Venezuelan striker Gustavo Paez they have a sublime finisher, but it appears as though his teammates struggle to create clear-cut opportunities for him. The game-plan is predictable and there is no 'x-factor' there, with teams comfortably able to strategise ways to nullify their attacking threat. 

As Chiefs prepare to host SuperSport again tonight, this time in the league, it has called into question whether Komphela can find the right combination to unlock the potential in his side. Certainly he has already had to answer a barrage of questions in that regard. He has said from day one that he thrives on pressure, and has now taken to likening himself to former South African president Nelson Mandela, in his typically cryptic manner.

"Whether you like it or not, leadership is not only about getting sweet stuff. Even the late Nelson Mandela went through difficulties," he was quoted at a Chiefs media open day by The Star.

"If you and I had gone 27 years [in prison] we would have probably committed suicide or lost hope. He kept faith. If you're a leader, you must have faith. The worst case scenario is that if, where you are, you don't get exactly what you think you deserve, it's preparations for the next platform.

"You must accept the challenge and live with it. You only get better through fire and what you're going through could be preparing you for the next challenge, which you don't know. Mandela's next platform was the presidency. How many of you thought that a prisoner could be a president? None.

"As he was going through the struggle and hell there, we were all here fighting for the cause. What happened when he came back? Was he out there seeking revenge? He didn't. He showed that sometimes you've got to be born with this.

"As it happens, accept it and when you are at a position of strength and tranquillity, don't look back and want to revenge. You move on and even bring those who took you through the process of being polished."

It would appear he is talking about weathering the storm of criticism and coming out the other side an improved coach, but just how long Komphela will be given remains to be seen. Chiefs have shown admirable patience with coaches in the recent past, but were also spoiled by the success brought in a short period by Stuart Baxter, Komphela's predecessor.

Certainly a loss on Wednesday would set tongues wagging, especially with an extended break in fixtures for the club that sees them inactive due to the MTN8 semifinals and FIFA World Cup qualifiers, with their next fixture only on September 13 away at Benni McCarthy's Cape Town City.

These long breaks are always a nervous time for coaches who are not delivering results as they present an opportune time to make a change if management feels one is needed.

Komphela deserves more time because he has not been backed in the transfer market, but there is also the feeling that Chiefs may be flogging a dead horse. One win in their last nine competitive matches in all competitions tells its own story and, for a giant of the South African game, that is a crisis.

Now the question is how they get themselves out of it ...

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