One had a spring in his step, the other understandably looked like he had the weight of the world — or at least a troubled planet called Kaizer Chiefs — on his shoulders.
During their prematch interviews for this weekend's MTN8 semifinal second leg at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday (3pm), the contrast in demeanour of Mamelodi Sundowns' flying coach Rulani Mokwena and Chiefs' embattled Molefi Ntseki was palpable. Chiefs have the unenviable task of needing a win away against a team as dominant as the Brazilians.
Mokwena’s ego was boosted by the fact that it was a few hours after Sundowns beat Olando Pirates 1-0 to register their seventh straight win of the season. Keeping with the theme of “seven”, that's the size of the gap between Sundowns and next team Golden Arrows at the top of the DStv Premiership, as Mokwena's seemingly unstoppable team chase a monstrous seventh league title in succession.
Ntseki is in another world. Amakhosi's new head coach managed to put on a brave face with a smile here and there during his press conference, but there was no running away from the fact that he is a man under tremendous pressure just under three months into his tenure.
Ntseki, who was escorted out of Peter Mokaba Stadium by police a few hours earlier as Chiefs fans directed missiles his way for the second time this season — a campaign not even at its one-third stage — looked tired. It is not clear whether it was because of what happened at the stadium or from the long drive back to Johannesburg from Polokwane. Probably a bit of both, plus simply the fatigue from carrying an ailing behemoth like Amakhosi — and trying to turn around eight seasons without a trophy.
Pressure is mounting on Ntseki and his players as they are a staggering 13 points adrift of Sundowns in the league after suffering their third zero-pointer of the season with Chiefs' 1-0 defeat to SuperSport United in Polokwane on Wednesday. Amakhosi, when they were winning, had a notoriously hot coaching seat to occupy. After so long without a trophy, the burden increases exponentially and when things start to go wrong so soon, the toll has to be heavy.
Temperatures will be escalated a notch higher on Saturday in Atteridgeville if they are dumped out of the MTN8. Ntseki has some decisions to make for this match against the Brazilians and one of them is whether to stick with Itumeleng Khune between the poles after he was given his first start of the season against SuperSport.
Another tough decision for Ntseki is whether to start with attacker Pule Mmodi, who was introduced as a substitute and had a good impact against SuperSport.
Mokwena is unlikely to tinker much with a formidably in-form team. He is likely to stick with the core of Ronwen Williams, Mothobi Mvala, Marcelo Allende, Teboho Mokoena, Peter Shalulile and Lucas Ribeiro Costa.
On Thursday at the Premier Soccer League offices in Parktown, Ntseki pleaded for more time as the pressure continues to mount at the club, which has signed a number of quality players who need time — the coach stressed — to acclimatise.
“Sometimes when you ask for patience from someone who is impatient, you have to do something to make him or her patient. The club is signing quality players, just to bring the patience from our supporters. [Of course] when you are impatient, that impatience might have a cause,” he said.
“The club is saying, as impatient as you [the supporters] are, we are bringing in quality, and [it's asking], have patience with this quality. At the beginning of the season, we played about seven of the new players and even we as a technical team, and me as a head coach, need to be patient with those players.
“We brought them to the club with individual qualities, and we have to patiently make them more of a team. I think the past few matches that we have played were a work in progress because you can see the improvement in those individuals.”
Mokwena pointed out that — despite Chiefs' struggles — Sundowns need to remember they will be coming up against a quality side who have enough potential in their ranks to upset the form book on a day when Amakhosi might click.
“I watched the Royal AM game, I watched their game against SuperSport United, and I saw a completely different team that played against us at FNB. To be honest, they are a good side, they have some good players, they create a lot more chances.
“Compared to last season, on average now they create about 11 chances per game, and they have improved over their past nine games this season. They are a crossing team and that is because of the profile of their strikers apart from Ashley du Preez.”
With Downs in the form they are in, it is hard to see Chiefs putting a spanner in the works of Mokwena's machine in Atteridgeville. Judging by his body language though, Ntseki could do with such an outcome.
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