Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Brandon Petersen has delivered a bold verdict on the pressure surrounding coach Fernando Da Cruz, insisting that the players remain fully behind the French tactician despite recent criticism from Amakhosi supporters.
The French coach has faced criticism from Chiefs supporters after the recent unconvincing performances in the Betway Premiership and the CAF Confederation Cup.
Chiefs plunged into a poor run in their past few matches, which also saw them crashing out of the Confederation Cup. Amakhosi suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 penalty defeat against Zambia’s Red Arrows FC in the second preliminary round.
The elimination from the continental competition left a sour taste in Chiefs fans’ mouths, with several calling for the coach’s sacking.
Before the exit from the Confed Cup, Chiefs also had a challenging run in the league after going three matches without claiming a win. The Glamour Boys played three successive draws against Stellenbosch FC, Golden Arrows and Polokwane City FC.
In a midweek match, Chiefs returned to winning ways after beating TS Galaxy 3-0 in the Carling Knockout Cup Last 16 at FNB Stadium.
The victory over the Rockets served as a major confidence booster ahead of the highly anticipated Soweto Derby clash against Orlando Pirates this coming weekend.
PETERSEN BACKS DA CRUZ AMID PRESSURE FROM FANS
At Thursday’s Soweto Derby presser in Randburg, Petersen addressed the pressure on Da Cruz, admitting the team can only control what happens on the pitch, not in the stands.
“Yeah, noise is noise; if people want to speak, they’ll speak, and I think the noise also comes from the fact that people want results,” Petersen said. “We all know that when you are at a team like Kaizer Chiefs, results are important, but another important thing is the journey, where we are and the type of football we want to play.
“There’s been a lot of improvement. I think the only thing that has been lacking is converting our chances. If you look at the games, we dropped points; if we’d converted our chances, we’d be telling a different story.
“So I think for us it’s important to know that the noise is there, but it’s important to focus on what we are doing, not being blinded by what’s going on around us.
“Like I have been saying, the game model of the coach in front of us is a phenomenal model, and I think the guys have adapted to it very well. For me, he [Da Cruz] is a very good coach, and he angles the team very well.
“It’s not easy at a team like Kaizer Chiefs because the demand is always there. I think credit has to go to him and his technical team. He’s handling the pressure well and not passing it on to us as players. He’s taking accountability by the chin and making sure that the environment is good for us.”
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