Middendorp won the coaching war against Pitso

One contributing factor could be that they have had no interruption from their Absa Premiership campaign, not playing in the MTN8, and not playing in continental competition. So we have a fresh, well-prepared Chiefs team that is starting to find its identity.

Most importantly, we see a team with a lot of character … which has also contributed to them reaching the next round of the Telkom Knockout and on top of the league by five points after beating Sundowns on Sunday.

We already saw Samir Nurkovic’s qualities when he came on in the Telkom Knockout game against Cape Town City. He brings a lot of balance playing on the side of the attack, and when the ball is played up to him, he fields it well, which allows the rest of the team to support him in and around the box. He is a good finisher and very good in the air.

Sundowns certainly had their chances against Chiefs on Sunday. One opportunity that immediately springs to mind is the one Andile Jali should have buried in the first half.

Chiefs were lucky not to concede an equaliser, but to their credit they stuck the game out and even got a second goal. The game plan paid off for Ernst Middendorp. Pitso Mosimane does have a point when he says Sundowns don’t have to beat Chiefs to win the league.

It is not the end of the world though. It is just three points lost, though Chiefs’ confidence must now be extremely high.

As for the mind-games from Pitso Mosimane towards Chiefs, they started around the Shell-Helix Cup. Coaches are normally very emotional right after a game and I don’t think it is a good idea to get the coaches in for a chat immediately after the final whistle has blown, though it is obviously good for television. You need time to think before you speak about what went on, especially when decisions have gone against you.

A decision can seem blatant, but only afterwards can you look at it again and say whether you were right or wrong.

I’d like to think this whole Mosimane-Middendorp spat is just mind-games, and I have to say Middendorp was gracious in victory on Sunday. Sometimes when a coach’s first language is not English it is difficult for them to express what they want to say but Middendorp gave credit to Pitso for how he sets his side up and how successful he has been, and how he has won on the continent.

I think if Pitso had heard this, I don’t think he would have responded as he did (calling Middendorp lucky). He didn’t get the full picture and his response was a bit heated, but if you sat with Pitso today, you would get a different response. He is not the type of coach who would disrespect another coach.

It was a brilliant performance on Sunday, meanwhile, from Chiefs’ young defender Njabulo Blom. He made a match-winning clearance at the end, and it is good to see that along with experienced players like Willard Katsande and Leonardo Castro, Chiefs are slowly starting to bring in some youngsters.

You have to give Chiefs the edge in the upcoming Soweto derbies against Orlando Pirates in the Telkom Knockout this weekend and the Absa Premiership the following weekend.

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