I think we’re doing a good job, says Chiefs coach Cavin Johnson

Kaizer Chiefs interim coach Cavin Johnson was relieved to see his side beating Polokwane City, a team he said troubled Amakhosi with their awkward system of pumping the ball forward and playing off the second ball. 

Pule Mmodi’s strike early in the second half gave Chiefs a 1-0 win at Peter Mokaba Stadium, as back-to-back Premiership victories keep them in the top half of the table despite having lost six times in 14 outings. Amakhosi beat Moroka Swallows by the same margin at Dobsonville Stadium in their previous game. 

“They [Polokwane] play a long ball and they run. Us coming from Johannesburg sometimes the Polokwane heat is a bit different,” Johnson said.

“We didn’t play our best football but we were able to identify that you can play or you can win against this type of opposition.”

Chiefs struggled to create clear-cut opportunities in the first half, but Mmodi’s 51st-minute goal, taken with his right foot after cutting in from the left flank, gave Amakhosi the full spoils.

Johnson said it was important that Chiefs won playing against a side that did not allow them to play the way they wanted.

“We have to go home and say, ‘How do we play against a team that plays like this?’, because there could be other teams that play similarly, play the long ball and play on the second ball. We need to able to able to do that and also make sure we are able to keep on stitching a Kaizer Chiefs cloth.” 

Johnson did not want to elevate their second win on the trot to something more than it is, preferring to say: “I think we’re doing a good job. When it’s 15 wins then we talk.”

Johnson said the team management last week worked hard to keep the players focused on the weekend’s match after the club announced in midweek it was suspending long-serving goalkeeper and captain Itumeleng Khune pending a disciplinary process. Reports alleged Khune came to training drunk.

“I think that is something that is to be credited to the management of the club. All of us put together how the club within the [Chiefs] Village is able to control that type of news because we all know ‘Itu’ is a big part of this team.

“In the end, we were able to calm the players and make sure they realised what was happening. All of us are not perfect, that’s the one thing we have to know.

“Whatever happens to some of our players outside and after they play, we’re all not perfect. Things happen. We’re just grateful we work for an organisation like Kaizer Chiefs and they’re able to say, 'You know what, we’ll help you'.

“That’s what I’m grateful for. The club said, ‘We’re going to help you [Khune]’. This club is run by men who should be walking with presidents.”