Society has no right to judge: Swallows coach Komphela defends Jali, Mhango, Zuma

Moroka Swallows coach Steve Komphela has again defended signings Andile Jali, Gabadinho Mhango and Dumisane Zuma, who have a well-documented history of off-field shenanigans. 

The Birds' new head coach Komphela — who, after a rocky start got a second win in a row when Swallows beat Cape Town Spurs 3-1 at Dobsonville Stadium on Wednesday — said an imperfect society has no right to judge sports people who sometimes go off the rails. 

“If you are complaining about these athletes, we have to look at ourselves as a society and ask if we are perfect or are we at a level where our morality cannot be questioned?” he said. 

“If we do not respond appropriately to those questions, we have no right to question the behaviour of sports people — but at the same time we are not condoning them; we say they must be exemplary. 

“If you are dealing with a genius, at some point of their life the task is too simple and they start looking for something else like a destruction and then we call them delinquents. No, they are geniuses.” 

Komphela, who was instrumental in bringing Jali with him to Swallows when he left Mamelodi Sundowns in the off-season, said the midfielder is a huge figure in the dressing room. 

“'AJ' has amazing personality, you can’t question that. He might have issues with injuries or maybe getting to top shape but the guy is not 22 or 24 any more to be honest. 

“But he still has the effect, the energy, he is a great influence in the dressing room and it is the same with Gabadinho, who has a good personality, he’s aggressive, wants to win and he pushes everybody including opponents. 

“The goal he scored in Polokwane [in Swallows' 2-1 win against Sekhukhune United] was purely out of his relentlessness and the free-kick he scored against Cape Town Spurs, what do you say about that? And by the way, he does that at training.” 

Swallows fought for each other in the win over beleaguered Spurs, and they looked happy as a team. 

“The camaraderie [in the team] should not only be something like powder on a table that you can easily blow off,” Komphela said.

“It must be deep and entrenched, it must be genuine because it is easy to fake stuff. After he [Gabadinho] scored there was just a sea of white on the floor doing push-ups. 

“It feels good, it is natural and it tells you that the are enjoying it. I am praying it goes further and it must be something that deals a blow to this narrative of people labelling others.”