For a man who is about to experience his first Soweto derby, Kaizer Chiefs interim coach Cavin Johnson showed no signs of anxiety.
His Chiefs coaching career boasts a loss to Golden Arrows and win over Cape Town Spurs but Johnson will find himself in the derby pressure cooker at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
During the prematch press conference at MultiChoice City in Randburg on Thursday afternoon, Johnson acknowledged the clash between Chiefs and Pirates comes with massive expectations but he is not feeling any pressure.
“I am very calm,” he said when answering one of the questions related to taking part in his first derby.
Flanked by senior players Itumeleng Khune, who has featured in 27 derbies, and Keagan Dolly, Johnson said he will lean on his vast experience of coaching in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) where he coached teams like Platinum Stars, SuperSport United and AmaZulu.
Johnson also had a short stint with Egyptian giants Al Ahly, where he was assistant to Pitso Mosimane at the club that is well-known for unbearable pressure.
Johnson’s confidence was evident on his face as he sometimes talked candidly about the task of coaching Amakhosi and smiled and interacted with the club’s supporters.
Also in attendance was Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro, but he has a slight advantage as he has overseen three derbies in all competitions but has lost the twice in the league.
This turn of events means that either Riveiro or Johnson will taste their first derby win in the league if the match does not end on a draw in front of what is expected to be a packed FNB Stadium.
“It is normal, a derby is a derby and it always comes with a lot of expectations from either the home or away team, depending on which one is on a high,” said Johnson admitting that Chiefs and Pirates have not been at their best so far this season.
“I think Pirates and Chiefs are not really at their best, in relation to South African football.”
As he looked ahead to the clash, Johnson recounted an incident where he attended one of the big Brazilians derbies.
“I took myself to watch a derby in Brazil with 100,000 people in the stands and as a coach I could feel the vibration of the supporters. Come Saturday, probably it is going to be exactly the same.
“It is going to take me back to those days, I have had that experience, but to feel it as a coach is neither here or there.
“I do my work before the game, and when the whistle goes players must go out there and do their best. We, as the technical people, pray that whatever we prepared for is carried out.
“Otherwise, you have to change the tactics within the game to win or to score another goal. Those are the things that the crowd doesn’t affect, but it depends if you are strong mentally and I think I am stronger than that.”
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