Chiefs coach Middendorp responds to Kemiso Motaung’s comments

Kaizer Chiefs coach, Ernst Middendorp has called for his team to remain humble despite opening a 10-point gap atop the Absa Premiership standings following an incredible 4-0 win away at Stellenbosch FC on Wednesday night.

READ: Chiefs official apologises for ‘shocking performance’

Middendorp suggested that the team’s good run of results has made some people to be forward thinking with their expectation that the club will finally end their long running trophy drought.

This was after Chiefs digital manager Kemiso Motaung took to Instagram to apologise to Amakhosi supporters for “poor performance” in the 2-1 loss to Maritzburg United in the Telkom Knockout semifinals last Sunday.

In a reply to a comment made by SA personality Sizwe Dhlomo on her post, Kemiso also said that “some bad tactical decisions” were made on the day.

“I was quite irritated to hear some comments inside the club which were totally confusing,” Middendorp said in post-match TV interview. “I actually think that each and everybody – the fans, technical team and management – should be humble to say we have come out of a season where we finished in position nine and not achieving anything.

“And we should not get carried away just because we have an expectation and history. I think it’s absolutely important that we stay humble and healthy with our situation and really go with the right attitude into the next game and not criticizing and destroying ourselves with a useless attitude of thinking we are on cloud nine,” he added.

Middendorp’s side were woeful against Maritzburg but dusted themselves off quite impressively as they handed Stellies their heaviest defeat so far, beating them 4-0 with Samir Nurkovic netting a brace while Siyabonga Ngezana and Dumisani Zuma also contributed a goal each.

“We had a good management of one against one situations. Let’s be honest we were terrible in that in our last game. Sometimes it is about the basics. That was one element in the forward movement, one against one out of the midfield area and penetrating the space. And of course in the backwards movement to have a good solid aggressive winning mentality and not allowing the opponent to turn around.

“We were better in the spacing, better in not allowing the opponent to intercept the balls, and then the transition come into our direction. Sometimes it is irritating wen you see it in the game because we have been talking about this since the beginning of preseason but we are dealing with human beings. Everybody in the club must understand that the game is not like you want to have it. But today I am pleased with the performance,” he said.

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