Moroka Swallows’ coach Steve Komphela says the players’ decision to abandon training for 10 days reflected in their loss to SuperSport United.
Swallows lost 2-1 to SuperSport in the league on Friday as goals by Tenda Matodzi and Etiosa Ighodaro cancelled out Gabadinho Mhango’s strike.
That loss extended Swallows’ winless streak to four games and raised questions as to what has gone wrong after their bright start to the season.
Komphela, speaking to the media after the game, lifted the lid on their struggles, saying his players had refused to train ahead of the match.
“We need to prepare (for a match) … We can’t go 10 days without training and win,” he said.
The players’ decision to down their training boots was reportedly due to unpaid salaries by the club – a problem that has haunted the Birds in the past.
Komphela said he had to plead with his players to turn up for the match – though their lack of training was rudely exposed on the day.
“If you are not physically fit, your mind does not react swiftly – this was a recipe for this result. It’s a true reflection of where we are,” he explained.
“Someone said to me something that’s profound: you can’t hide a pregnant person. And that’s true. How do you hide that? It’s out there to see.
“We don’t train for 10 days and play SuperSport. We lead 1-0 and they come at us and we commit an error and start to get tired and finally give in.”
Komphela is a renowned players’ coach through and through. His decision to plead with his players to report for duty was not to bully them.
It’s not the first time he’s had to deal with this issue. At Bloemfontein Celtic he motivated his players to do their best despite unpaid salaries.
But while he has the best interests of the players, Komphela also wants to protect the reputation of the club.
“I tried to be part of the solution. I could have taken the easy decision to say ‘listen, I’m stepping outside of this”, but do I help?” he said.
“I was here by 8am or 8.30am and we tried to resolve challenges. and they didn’t get resolved. The players went back home (without training).”
Komphela’s impeccable commitment to the club is evidenced by the fact that his family thought he was reporting for duty as usual.
“We come again, on the next day, every day.
“You can go to my family and ask them, not even a single day I hadn’t been at work,” he said.
“They will also be shocked that for 10 days the guys have not been training but I have been leaving in the morning and coming back late.”
@Mihlalibaleka