Posted in News on Dec 01, 2003.
On the one hand it’s the best-known team in Africa. They have a hugely experienced side, many of whom have played in cup finals before and they will probably start the match as favourites in front of a huge crowd.
On the other side, there are newcomers to big-time soccer. They have a relatively inexperienced squad who are huge on effort and always give one hundred percent. Just as Supersport United and Moroka Swallows, the clubs that were beaten by Stars en route to the final.
This is what club PRO Putco Mafani had to say at a media conference at the PSL offices on Tuesday.
The meaning of Ya Chesa is usually realised during the 90 minutes. This game will not be taken for granted. Preparations at the Village are very intense because it’s a trick game.
On the one hand you have newcomers who are totally inexperienced in cup final situations. It can be a very freezing situation and you can ask Jomo (Sono) about it. On the other hand you have the most successful soccer outfit in South Africa in as far as cups are concerned. Very experienced with cup pedigree and cup mentality. It’s very tricky and we should guard against complacency.
I like what one of the directors of Silver Stars said in the newspapers that it happened so quickly. I think he is still dreaming and he probably doesn’t realise that it is true. But it is true they are in the final and they deserve this.
No matter what happens on Saturday, Silver Stars still owe its players and technical staff big time for this achievement. This is how brands are made. The rest will be on Saturday and we are praying so much.
There’s one thing that we do at the Village - we pray a lot and we are praying so much that the weather be fine on the day so that we can conclude the task on Saturday. All the players are available with the exception of Rene Richards, and Nhlanhla Kubeka who are still nursing injuries.
The rest of the players are fine and professor Ted Dumitru will be spoilt for choice again. I say professor because he wrote a very tough test for the final year exams and the students failed it last week.
This is one team, which when it loses the whole of South Africa cries because every small and big town has Kaizer Chiefs fans. It then becomes a national mandate that we win so that the country is not drawn into gloom because of the result. If we don’t win the Silver Stars players and directors will cry because they are Kaizer Chiefs supporters.
Kaizer Chiefs have embraced the programme of the pledge against the abuse of women and children. Last year when 16 Days of Activism was launched, all of us at Chiefs signed in the same book that the same book that the State President signed. That indicated to our supporters the importance of taking a new stand towards the respect of women and children.
This time around we are humbled and very lucky to be in the finals that we can again show South Africa that when we speak as the majority we say we want peace. I do want to indicate to Silver Stars that it is already in the slogan of Kaizer Chiefs - Love and Peace!