Kaizer Chiefs boss on Orlando Pirates victory, highlighting victory’s as mentality and Komphela advise
Ernst Middendorp was in joyful mood following Chiefs’ double league defeat over Orlando Pirates on Saturday afternoon. The manager congratulated his players and technical team after their 1-0 league victory over Pirates.
The league leaders needed to bounce back to winning ways if in fact they wanted to maintain their league lead.
Chiefs’ last two games have all ended in defeats against Maritzburg United in the League and Highlands Park in the Nedbank Cup before travelling to face Pirates at the FNB Stadium today.
Lebogang Manyama’s 30th minute strike was enough to hand the Glamour Boys a seven points lead off second placed Mamelodi Sundowns who engage Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League.
After the game, Chiefs boss Ernst Middendorp expressed his happiness for today’s victory and revealed what was different for the win, highlighting Komphela’s advise and his players’ mentality as key success factors.
“It’s quite a good outcome, we were talking a lot about advice from Steve Komphela, Jomo [Sono] and basically they are right. These last ten games it’s about mentality, how you handle it, how you take it,” Middendorp told SuperSport TV.
“And I know my players, I know this team, I know them very well, I could see during the week already that we’re prepared, we want it and unfortunately here and there some injuries.
“Leonardo [Castro] had to go off as you see, Willard Katsande had to go out and that’s always a difficult moment, players from the bench, in particular huge compliment to [Anthony] Akumu coming on and taking over in a really crucial position.
“I’m very proud of it and I think each and everybody on the Kaizer Chiefs side, players, technical team, supporters, deserve this moment and they should enjoy it.”
The German tactician elaborated on his tactical plan for the Buccaneers, who had won six successive games before coming to face Chiefs.
“It’s very different from what I have seen with all the other teams and I travel and follow the teams, it was very important today to do positional defending, not going in advance marking, keep the central corridors closed, make sure you’re prepared for the balls on top of the defence line.
“And of course the reference point has to be the ball and your own teammates, not the other, don’t follow them, getting tracked out, getting pulled out, this is not, then you’re in a really nonsense position and I think the players have done well.
“Good, we had some moments when they had possibilities to score but other moments on the other side I think it’s Eric [Mathoho] and other players we had the possibility to make it 2-0 and a close book would [have been] earlier.”
Kaizer Chief take on AmaZulu in the ABSA Premiership next week Saturday evening.
