Posted in News on Oct 17, 2005.
The words used in the television interview might not have been chosen correctly, I prefer to usually cool down immediately after a game and do the interview a few minutes later.
I let my emotions get the better of me on Sunday, I live for Kaizer Chiefs and I feel very passionately about the team and drawing another game upset me.
Having said that, I also felt I was wrong to mention the names of players who had missed the opportunities that could have given us victory, in particular I mentioned Shoes Moshoeu.
I had a talk with Shoes on Monday after training to discuss the issues, I felt that the facts need to come to the fore and we need to start standing up when we don’t do what is asked of us. I also told Shoes that there was nothing personal as I have a lot of respect for him as a human being and a soccer player.
The issue is about us taking responsibility and finishing off the goal scoring opportunities that we create.
On Monday morning, and after the game against Swallows we had a meeting and I asked the players to decide and let me know whether they want to win the league, finish in the top ten or see how things go.
The players after training on Monday had their own session to discuss various issues and the response that has come back has been a positive one.
Every one is ready to stand up and be counted and take on the duties entrusted on him for the eventual good of the team.
We did agree that it was time for us to face the facts - that like the supporters we want victory and so we will be looking at our mistakes and will work ten times harder at training to ensure we iron out these creases.
What has clearly been a worry for all including the players has been how wasteful we have been in front of goal. Something we have spoken about is - that game after game we have had five to six clear-cut scoring opportunities and we either take one or none.
We need to be taking at least fifty percent of our chances. Another problem that we have with the injury of Serge - it means that our firepower is low; firstly we need to address the problem in the short term by getting the guys to take their chances.
Secondly I have a shopping list for the January transfer window, going into the transfer market for a new striker is a high priority on that list.
Thereafter we will address the long term scoring solution but we cannot sit around until January - we have to do some rectification immediately.
On our performance on Sunday I felt we were strong at the back once again and we did our work in the midfield but were wasteful in the last quarter of the field. Swallows played well - their Senegalese striker Niang gave us some problems at the back - he laid off a lot of balls to the midfielders who could not control their shots better.
I was happy with the performance of Gert Schalkwyk - I though he did particularly well starting his first game for the season; he did not show any signs of fatigue or complacency.
Gert knows he needs to continue playing the way he did against Swallows and it will bode well for the team and for him.
Cyril Nzama came through without any problems from his injury, which was a good sign, and he lasted the length of the game.
We have a busy week in training as we don’t have any games until Saturday when we meet Classic in a Coca Cola Cup game in Rustenburg. We will go out for victory as the formbook is usually thrown away during Cup games and will go for goals to ensure we progress to the next round of the Cup.
Till Wednesday keep up with love and peace
Ernst Middendorp
