Komphela and his charges deserve much better

I HAD taken a decision more than three years ago that I will resist all the temptation to comment on sporting matters through this blog. This was after I showed sports journalism my back and I thought it would be wise to use the blog for other issues affecting the world.

But one newspaper headline on Sunday and several radio and TV reports on Monday morning regarding the Nedbank Cup match between defending champions Orlando Pirates and Free State Stars prodded me to shelf that decision, just this once.

The newspaper headline screamed: “Stars stun Pirates in Nedbank Cup last 16 match” while the electronic reports blindly towed the same line. The implication here, especially for those who either did not watch the match or did not have the recent background of both outfits, is that Pirates were somehow expected to easily triumph over Stars. That’s the simplistic face value explanation but there is a technical argument on whether Pirates were really the favourites or otherwise.

While the debate is not scientific, bookmakers would most probably have told you before this clash that Pirates were the underdogs – purely based on current form and climate. If the discussion is then elevated to history and commercial fibre, then Pirates would then obviously tower over the “ruralitarian” Stars.

I must also state upfront that I don’t hold any brief for Stars nor its coach Steve Komphela but I think this is one match in which both the team and mentor deserved some modicum of respect and due credit - before and after.

For starters, Stars came into the game as a stable team pegged 5^th on the PSL log, six points adrift from pace setters Mamelodi Sundowns. A counter argument would be that Pirates are second on the standings with two points superior to Stars. Granted.

Another “ammunition” from my side would be that Stars dimmed Pirates and claimed maximum points in their first leg of the league in Free State last year. Others would argue that Pirates won all their cup matches last year. Fair enough.

Stars have had the same coach since the beginning of the season. Pirates are in turmoil because they “suspended” their coach Julio Leal over a week before this match. Caretaker coach Augusto Palacios was baptised with a 3-0 drubbing by Santos before redeeming himself with a 3-2 win over Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs in a league derby.

One of Komphela’s charges, little-known Edward Manqele is a joint top scorer in the league alongside veterans Siyabonga Nomvethe (Moroka Swallows) and Katlego Mphela (Mamelodi Sundowns) with 10 goals each. Pirates boast Benni McCarthy with seven goals as one of the league’s leading goal machines.

And if its worth any mention, this is the same Ea Lla Koto who have had five dubious refereeing decisions given against them this season. Two of their clear goals were disallowed when they played SuperSport United in their season-opener, another one against Platinum Stars before another daylight robbery against their provincial nemesis Bloemfontein Celtic. When they came up to play Chiefs in Joburg, ageing Arthur Bartman handled outside the box but that went unpunished. Of all these heists, Manqele was castrated not once, not twice but three times!

So if Stars are to mop up all the spilt moo juice, they’d be sitting at the summit of the log with 45 points and Manqele with 13 strikes under his belt. But hey, the referee’s decision is final in football.

The Komphela that is being denied the credit he deserves is the same one who rescued Stars when they were languishing in the wrong end of the league grid in the 2008/ 09 season. He came in and Ea Lla Koto were 4^th at the end of that campaign, a performance that encouraged Platinum Stars to lure Komphela to the North West.

All I am advocating for here is that let praises be heaped on those who sweat for it, especially local coaches. We are normally quick to extol foreign but shady coaches. Some of them have later been exposed as nothing but charlatans, mostly from the Balkan states and other obscure places around the world, with nothing but basketball or some such comedic backgrounds.

Komphela and his Stars are shining bright for now and let us reflect that without any doubt of contradiction.

Photo credit: www.sport24.com/ Gallo