Kaizer Chiefs welcome new coach

FORMER Bafana Bafana and Kaizer Chiefs player, Steve Komphela, has been appointed as the new head coach of Kaizer Chiefs.

Just hours after he left Maritzburg United, Komphela, according to club chairman, Kaizer Motaung, was the successful candidate to coach Kaizer Chiefs. He was appointed on a three year contract.

The announcement came on Wednesday, June 17, at Kaizer Chiefs Village, Naturena, when Motaung welcomed the new coach. “I would like to say we are very proud to have one of us who is able to take the task of taking this great brand to greater heights, and I am fully confident that with the experience he has gathered over the years, he will make the team competitive in the league once again,” said Motaung.

It’s the first time in the club’s history that Chiefs appointed a former player, and the first time since 1996 that the team have appointed a South African coach on a full time basis. The last South African coach to lead Amakhosi was Trott Moloto, who left the club in 1996.

This came after Stuart Baxter resigned as the head coach a few weeks ago. Komphela resigned from Maritzburg United on June 15.

“I am looking forward to this historic challenge. I am looking forward to working with this great family, great partners in business, club management, board of directors, staff and players. I am looking forward to smelling the grass and wearing that gold and black training shirt and going onto the field. That is where I am comfortable,” said Komphela.

The 47-year-old former centre-back played 34 times for Chiefs in 1993 and earned 24 Bafana Bafana caps between 1992 and 1995.

Komphela coached the senior national side in a caretaker capacity in 2012. He was also coach of the SA u.20 side in 2004 and the SA u.23 side from 2005 to 2008.

At club level, he coached Rangers, Dynamos, Free State Stars and Platinum Stars.