A visibly dejected Kaizer Chiefs coach, Molefi Ntseki, has poured his heart out after fans threw missiles at him following the team’s 1-0 loss to AmaZulu FC on Saturday evening at FNB Stadium.
The result saw Chiefs booted out of the Carling Knockout Cup in the Round of 16 after a late goal by Taariq Fielies.
Ntseki was visibly upset as he spoke to the media after the match and said that the fans’ actions deeply hurt him.
YOU’RE ALWAYS WORRIED WHAT WILL HAPPEN
The former Bafana Bafana coach, Ntseki, says after the first two incidents of fan violence – in Nelspruit and Polokwane – ‘every game you play” feels like “the last game”.
“I think it’s difficult if one has to explain the space I find myself in. I always say when you prepare, you prepare to win. But when you lose games like this, you’re always worried about what will happen at the end of the game.
“I don’t think it’s a good thing for football. It has turned out to be more like every training session you have is the last training session. Every game you play is your last game.
“You’re more worried about the results. I’ve been saying it’s preparation, preparation, preparation. Yes, you’re not getting the results, and you own up as a coach.
“And the results are not coming. And when things like this happen for the third time, it’s not only affecting you as a coach. It also affects your players.
“When they hear and see what happens to their coach when they lose matches, it also becomes a reflection on them to say, ‘What if tomorrow I’m the next one when I did not have a good game’?
SOUTH AFRICAN SUPPORTERS ARE NOT PATIENT
He believes South African football fans are not patient when results are not coming.
“In terms of South African football supporters, I think the biggest challenge is that we’re not very supportive. We’re not patient when results are not coming.
“It is very unfortunate for incidents like this. But who am I to bring a stop to incidents like this? But, at the end of the day, it worries you more because you’re a family person. You’re a South African. And you see your people not having patience in the hard work that you put in.
“But at the end of the day, it’s football. You win some, you lose some. The day you get hired, the door [remains] open for you to exit. And that’s football for us. If you don’t get results, you should be ready to get fired.”
“But the manner in which it is happening is actually not the Kaizer Chiefs way. I think maybe going forward, we need to look into ourselves and be supportive of this beautiful brand.
“In supporting this beautiful brand, it means you love everybody who’s involved in it. So, the love and peace slogan has carried Kaizer Chiefs for so many years, and I think that will continue.
“We will continue to be a love and peace brand that we have had for the past 53 years. I think these incidents don’t leave a very good taste when it comes to the club as a whole. The brand as a whole.”
IT’S A BIG DISAPPOINTMENT
Ntseki went on to say that he understands the fans’ frustration but that violence is never the answer.
“I hope supporters will learn to understand that results are not determined by individuals before the game starts. Results are determined by the goals you score and the goals you concede.
“It’s just unfortunate that today, we gave away that goal in a critical phase. When you look at it, we could have defended that goal from going in.
“But the importance of the game being a cup game and for us wanting to go all the way to win this cup, it’s a big disappointment.”
Ntseki’s comments come after three incidents of fan violence this season. The club has been fined by the PSL twice this season.
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