Kaizer Chiefs coach, Arthur Zwane, says he will be gunning for a win when his side takes on Orlando Pirates in the 177th Soweto Derby at FNB Stadium.
The 49-year-old’s first Soweto Derby as a coach ended in a dramatic win 1-0 when Yusuf Maart scored near the halfway line.
“There’s a lot at stake. Apart from the three points everyone knows what it means just to be part of the Derby,” said Zwane speaking during the DStv press conference preview.
“We are gunning for the win. As someone who has played in Derbies, I conveyed to the players to ignore the noise happening around them and just focus on the game plan and the game itself, because if you focus on the noise now by the time the game comes, you are already tired before it starts.
So, as a coach, I am trying to make sure the players stay away from what is happening off the field and concentrate on the game in the hope that we can grind out the result.”
Chiefs started the new year with three defeats in a row against Sekhukhune United, Amazulu and Mamelodi Sundowns. But the despite the string of poor results, Zwane says he is not worried about losing his job.
“Orlando Pirates are a quality side, especially going forward,” adds Zwane.
“They have very dynamic players and you can see they have been together for some time. It is good for South African football and for the country to see them performing well because we want to test ourselves against the best in the country.”
“Obviously, we have plans but we’re not going to talk about them here. At the end of the day, it will boil down to who produces the quality on the day.”
“As far as I know, I am the head coach of Kaizer Chiefs and I have always said that we, as a club, have a plan and as much as it is important to try and win this game, I am not worried about my job or myself. The focus is on playing this game, making sure the players apply themselves correctly and I am there for them as the head coach of the club.”
By Zola Doda
*Image courtesy of Kaizer Chiefs.