The former Kaizer Chiefs tactician won his first ever PSL title on Wednesday after close to two decades coaching in the professional ranks
Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi is ‘excited’ Steve Komphela has proven his wrong critics who believed he carried some “bad luck” to Chloorkop, the same way Teko Modise also silenced his detractors when he arrived at the club from Orlando Pirates in January 2011.
Komphela joined Sundowns at the beginning of this season as a senior coach but was being followed by a shadow of lacking major trophies in a career which included stints at eight Premier Soccer League clubs.
Seven months after the former Kaizer Chiefs coach arrived at Sundowns, he is now a league title winner for the first time ever in his coaching career.
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“I cannot explain how excited I am because it was one of the reasons we felt [Komphela] should join us because we believe he’s got the ability. He had done a tremendous job with Kaizer Chiefs and was very unfortunate not to win a trophy,” said Mngqithi, as per IOL.
“It was not always his fault, and people were beginning to think that he’s unlucky, and some even indicated that he would bring that bad luck to us,” he added. “I remember even when coach Pitso made sure we won the league for Teko, because everybody was saying Teko has got bad luck.”
Prior to joining Sundowns from Pirates, Modise’s stardom had only two Telkom Charity Cups and an MTN8 title to show but went on to claim two PSL crowns, Nedbank Cup, Telkom Knockout, the Caf Champions and Caf Super Cup in six and a half seasons at Chloorkop.
“At times, people tend to stigmatise and think you’re never meant to achieve something,” said Mngqithi. “The unfortunate part is that it’s us as the black nation that always look at it in that way, instead of supporting each other.
“I always believe these things at times don’t work. It’s the amount of work you put in that brings you closer to the possibility of winning something, and winning the championship is even more exciting to me now – that was taken away from him.”
Komphela’s first league title is Sundowns’ fourth in a row and 11th overall in the PSL era.
