Steve Komphela, senior coach of Mamelodi Sundowns. Picture: Shivambu/BackpagePix
Steve Komphela has reassured Mamelodi Sundowns supporters of their commitment to preserving winning culture at the club. The shock departure of former head coach Rulani Mokwena has divided opinions amongst the Yellow Nation.
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In an effort to remedy the situation, the hierarchy at Chloorkop roped in the experienced Komphela for his second spell at the club as a senior coach to work with Manqoba Mngqithi ahead of the season.
The technical team will be looking to defend the DStv Premiership championship and African Football League title. Another big target within the corridors of power at the Brazilians is the Caf Champions League which they last won in 2016.
“I’ve been here before and lost one match and you could feel that we could play and not get the result we wanted but that’s beautiful pressure. Instead of calling it pressure, call in the pleasure of the demand of always being on top,” Komphela said in an interview on the club’s pitchside podcast.
“It is not only Sundowns supporters and I must confess that the board at this club is unbelievably uncompromising when it comes to delivery and we have to deliver. But again, that is the beauty that the bar has to be so high that whoever has to reach it has to really stretch and understand that it’s not easy to reach and touch that bar.”
Komphela expects minor speed bumps on the road to ‘normality’ as the players adjust to changes on the bench. It will be a big season for Masandawana who are also one of the 32 teams that will participate at next year’s FIFA Club World cup in the United States from June 15.
“At the beginning, there’s going to be a bit of a storm which is normal because I’m now taking a seat that was occupied by you and you feel uncomfortable,” he remarked.
“The discomfort is normal and that is the storming phase and the quicker you hit the norming phase, the quicker you will get to the performing phase and the quicker you get to the performing phase, then you will excel.
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“And these are the stages we have to accept and know that they exist and we have to go through them so we have to normalise things quickly enough so that we can perform.”
