Kaizer Chiefs’ 16-million-strong fanbase breathed a sigh of relief when they celebrated a first win in six matches, but the feeling is not mutual with interim coach Cavin Johnson.
Amakhosi broke from their shackles at the Peter Mokaba Stadium this past Saturday where they edged SuperSport United by a 2-1 scoreline.
Johnson, however, knows that it would be premature to celebrate at this point as Chiefs still have a lot of catching up to do with the likes of Sekhukhune United, TS Galaxy, and Cape Town City if they want to finish close to the summit.
“I don’t think anybody should be relieved. There are still five games to go,” Johnson said post-match.
“We as Kaizer Chiefs are not relieved with [this performance]. If it was the other way around with five wins and maybe we had a draw [against SuperSport] then maybe we would be upset. I think we just turned around the corner and we’ve got to prepare ourselves better for the next game,” Johnson added.
READ: Delighted Cavin Johnson reveals how Kaizer Chiefs rediscovered their goalscoring form
What pleased Johnson, however, was how Amakhosi managed to navigate and penetrate through Gavin Hunt’s game plan, one which the Chiefs mentor believes was premised on psychology.
“The mentality of my players [was good]. They were playing against a team that breaks you down mentally and we were playing against a coach who is technically astute in how he sets up his team.
“Playing against them is a mixture of technique and mental strength plus the physical attributes that come along with his team. Our team was able to match those things in a lot of ways.”
Chiefs’ next fixture is against DStv Premiership defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who are lickking their wounds after bombing out of the Caf Champions League.
The Glamour Boys are going up against a side that has banged in 39 goals so far this season – joint-best with Orlando Pirates. Chiefs, on the other hand scored just 21 while conceding 20.
“The goals I conceded in the last five games were very soft. [Earlier this month] we conceded one goal from a throw-in against Chippa United and in another instance, we conceded because we did not press the ball correctly.
“We did have eight clean sheets on the trot, so the problem is not about clean sheets, it is about playing good football and winning the matches like we won the match against SuperSport,” Johnson said.
“We’d like to make sure that we paint the picture to the players, because they are all professional players, and they know what is needed from them in the next five games.”
Looking to bounce back! 🔜#Sundowns #DStvPrem pic.twitter.com/Dwu51voxtn
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) April 28, 2024
