Steve Komphela says he is determined to shut out the ‘noise’ expected to pick up in volume over the next fortnight over his inability to win a trophy as Kaizer Chiefs await their Telkom Knockout semifinal against Bidvest Wits on the weekend of November 18-19.
“You have to expect a lot of that but it is typical of the environment we are in‚ where there are a lot of opinions … some constructive‚ others a bit irritable‚” he told TimesLIVE.
Komphela is in his third season with the club but came up empty handed in his first two campaigns‚ meaning every time Chiefs are within striking distance of restoring their reputation as the country’s ‘cup kings‚’ the issue of his winless tenure is raised in the media.
“One wishes those questions would not be posed but we just have to remain focused on the job at hand.
"We know there will be a lot of that (opinion on Komphela’s record).
“One hopes we will just perform the way we do‚ get the results we are getting and that will respond to all the questions.”
Chiefs beat Chippa United 1-0 away in Port Elizabeth in Sunday’s quarter-final and were immediately after the game drawn against Wits in the semifinal.
But Komphela did not offer a reaction to the pairing against the league champions.
Instead he said: “I’m not sure what is going to happen‚ whether they take us to Bidvest Stadium or whether they take us to the alternative ground‚ maybe like Mbombela.
“But I’m not going to say what is my preference because the minute I do that they will opt for what hurts you.
"We’ll remain quiet and see what decisions they take.”
Chiefs are looking for their first trophy since the league title success under Stuart Baxter in 2015 and their first Telkom Knockout title since 2010.
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