Komphela comes home

“Steve Komphela needs no introduction,” Kaizer Chiefs Chairman Kaizer Motaung said about the Club’s new coach, who signed a three year contract. “He was here as a player, as an assistant-coach and now as a head coach. Welcome back on the Kaizer Chiefs journey.”

Komphela grew up supporting Amakhosi as a youngster, admiring the skills of players like Sylvester Kole, ‘Wagga Wagga’ Likoeba, Banks Sethlodi and Ryder Mofokeng.

He joined Kaizer Chiefs as a defender in 1993, before moving to Turkey. He played 24 times for the South African national team, even captaining the side.

For the 2000/2001 season, Komphela came back into the Amakhosi fold, this time as the assistant-coach to Muhsin Ertugral.

“I have always been impressed by the progress Steve made as a coach,” explains Motaung on the Club’s choice. “That’s why he has always been on the radar for us.”

When asked about the new coach’s mandate, the Chairman answered: “The only mandate is to continue the legacy of Kaizer Chiefs and that is winning.”

Komphela, meanwhile, expressed happiness “to be back home again. The challenge is huge. However, to whom much is given, much is expected. I have to be ready. I am looking forward to working with this great Family, which is Kaizer Chiefs.”

It will be for the first time in almost 20 years that a local coach will be in charge of Kaizer Chiefs at the start of the 2015/2016 season.

What makes Komphela especially interesting for Chiefs is that he coached both at club and national team level.

He coached South Africa at Under-20, Under-23 and senior level. The first time in charge of a club arrived in 2003 with Manning Rangers. Since, the 47-year-old coached sides like Dynamos, Free State Stars and Maritzburg United, which he led to a club best eighth place finish in the Absa Premiership last season.

He took Free State Stars to an amazing fourth place position in the 2008/2009 season.

Doctor Khumalo will continue as Chiefs’ assistant-coach about which Komphela commented: “We played together. We attended coaching courses together. We are friends.”

On the upcoming season, the new coach added: “There is no mediocrity at Kaizer Chiefs. If you become complacent, you become mediocre. I need to be on my toes and that’s how I like it. I want to go out fearlessly and continue the legacy.”