Sometimes I find it very interesting to listen or read other people’s reviews of our matches. I was really amazed this morning to listen to some journalist on TV suggesting that we must have had all the luck in the world to win our match against Wits.

Well, we had a clean 120 minutes advantage on our side with a lot of possibilities even before we scored the equaliser. It was a fantastic goal from width and there was nothing to complain about. It was an outstanding cross and a nice header, that’s all.

In my opinion we had nearly 60 percent of ball possession on our side in the 120 minutes. If you are scoring goals that’s normal and sometimes there are mistakes involved. We picked up from about eight or nine shots on target and had probably 13 corners and three from the other side.

If you have this advantage and have really worked for this advantage, it is great improvement especially with players like Nkosi, on a good day with players like Scara, with Arthur Zwane and Shaun in a better form. But to suggest that we did not deserve to win this match is beyond understanding.

When Wits score we were never worried. We have a lot of experience with teams scoring the first goal and then coming back and it’s not about luck. If you win an outstanding match against Swallows and them win in extra-time against SuperSport and continue to win matches - surely this cannot be attributed to luck?

The most important thing here is what we do during the halftime, looking at the strategy and the options you have on the bench. I think we changed a lot during the match and I don’t think anybody had expected us to bring in David Radebe instead of Gert Schalkwyk. Then we brought in Kaizer and it was a completely different approach. We brought in balance from the right and left wings. Kaizer used the left wing and David the right and all of sudden they had to organise themselves in a new way.

Sure we never had some of our key players available but I am not complaining about that. We have other players and there is a clear understanding that we have to move forward and try to build up a striker in a different way like before.

It is different when you play with Kaizer and Shaun or with Radebe and Shaun - Radebe is running off the wing left and right. It doesn’t matter if Shaun or Rotson is scoring the goals, it’s a team work, a department work and I am very happy about it. At the moment it’s Rotson and some other day I sure it will be Shaun. Rotson scored an important goal against SuperSport but there is still a lot of improvement and you could see some of that improvement against Wits.

Shaun is an outstanding qualified striker with all the skills and he will deliver in time. He has my support as well as that of the entire management team and the players. There’s no need for us to discuss the booing from the supporters. He knows we have a programme around him as a key player in the striking department.

Today I read in the papers that I complained about our defence. I am not sure where that came from but why would I complain about my defence? We are doing very well in that department and now have to work hard on putting the ball in the net.

Finally, Siyabonga Nkosi will start light training this week. Scara was out due to his third yellow card. With Derrick Spencer it looks like he will have to go for an operation this week.

Our focus is now on our next league match against Celtic on November 8. We know that we have to deal with this match in a proper way and be successful at the end of the day. It’s an important match and we will deal with this as though it were a final, and that’s how we deal with all the matches.

Love and Peace!

Ernst Middendorp


Kaizer Chiefs Head Coach