Kaizer Chiefs interim coach: players need to move on and do their jobs

by Graeme Jackson

Wednesday Apr 25, 2018. 14:00

Kaizer Chiefs interim coach Patrick Mabedi has called on the club’s players to put recent turmoil behind them and get on with their jobs.

The Soweto giants have experienced major upheaval in the past few days, with a 2-0 loss at the hands of Free State Stars in a cup tie on Saturday night ending with scenes of violence and destruction at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

The club will no doubt be dragged over the coals by the PSL for the behaviour of their fans, while the result – which ensured they will go a third full season without a trophy – also signalled the end of Steve Komphela’s tenure as coach.

Mabedi took over in the wake of Komphela’s resignation and had his first game in charge on Tuesday night, though it only brought more misery for the Amakhosi as they suffered a 3-1 loss away to Golden Arrows.

“I mean it happened very quickly and the way it happened you kind of like to say you are going to change everything because it happened quickly,” Mabedi told reporters after the match, as quoted by Kick-Off.

“You just need to adapt and go on but I think it was traumatic to players because they were affected. But overall, I think we just need to accept what happened happened.

“What happened was disturbing but overall we need to get going. Although it affected us we just need to be positive and keep moving forward, because as I said, what happened happened.”

He was further asked whether the violence was still worrying his players: “Not really affected because these are professional guys and I think they’ll be able to handle it.

“I think the way I saw things today they couldn’t think of what happened, they just need to move on. As professionals, they need to do their job.”

Chiefs will return to league action on Saturday afternoon when they host Maritzburg United at FNB Stadium.