Muhsin Ertugral did not give off the happiest of reactions when he was informed on Tuesday afternoon by kaizerchiefs.com that The Amakhosi had been drawn to face Moroka Swallows, in their opening match of the 2007 Telkom Knockout Cup to be played either later this month or early in October.

The Chiefs coach, who led Ajax Cape Town to the final of the Telkom Knockout Cup last season, would have preferred to have avoided having to play in a Soweto derby match in the early rounds of a cup competition.

He is ready though to go one better than he did last year and if he is to do so he needs to play who ever is on the bill for Chiefs.

Past success

The first time that Ertugral led a team against Swallows in a cup match was in the same stage of this competition five years ago in October 2002, when it was still known as the Coca Cola Cup. That time around a spectacular turn and shot by Kabamba Mussasa in the 65th minute of the match, proved to be the match winner for Chiefs. If the past is anything to go by then, the Chiefs coach should not have much to worry.

While jogging his memory back Ertugral recalled that game and told kaizerchiefs.com “yes I do remember when we beat them at the Rand Stadium in 2002 it was a Coca Cola Cup and if my memory serves me correctly it was a difficult game played in blistering heat”.

In his second cup assignment against the Birds, Ertugral again tasted success, when during his run with Ajax to the final of last years Telkom Cup they knocked Swallows out of the competition in the ¼ Finals.

Swallows tricky first up

Ertugral will be hoping that his team do not slip on the proverbial banana peel and get bundled out of the Telkom Cup at the first hurdle. By his own admission, the Chiefs coach will be taking nothing for granted against the Dube Birds. He will go all out to ensure that no matter how difficult an opponent Swallows can be, The Amakhosi get the win and proceed onto the next round.

As he further explained “to play in such a historically and emotionally charged game in the first round of a cup tournament is not going to be easy. We will be looking for out fifth straight cup win over them and will do all our work before hand to ensure that we repeat our previous cup success over them, that is the nature of cup competition you need to accept what ever the draw throws up for you and be ready for it”.