Posted in News on Nov 09, 2007.
The Chiefs coach who won four competitions during his previous 3 ½ season tenure as coach of Chiefs which ran from the start of the 1999 – 2000 season until the midway point of the 2002 – 2003 season, has gone six years back as he looks to get his team revved up for Saturday’s semifinal showdown in Mmabatho.
It was during in April 2001 under Ertugral’s guidance that Chiefs managed to score an amazing 5-0 away from home victory over Celtic in Bloemfontein, that was in the ¼ finals of the BOB Save Super Bowl during the 2000 – 2001 season.
Although Chiefs were knocked out in the next round by Mamelodi Sundowns, later in 2001 Ertugral lead Chiefs to three Cup victories which included another 5-0 thrashing of Jomo Cosmos in the 2001 – 2002 COCA Cola Cup Final which was the Telkom Cup under a previous guise.
Knowing that Chiefs need to lift themselves up, the Chiefs coach is using all means possible to get the best out of his players. With a number of players still in his current squad from the 2001 team that inflicted that heavy defeat on Celtic, Ertugral will be expecting the same on Saturday.
The History
Chiefs and Celtic have played each other at regular intervals in cup competition over the twelve seasons of the PSL and The Amakhosi have had the better of Phunya Sele Sele in the four cup ties that they have clashed in. Chiefs have won three of them and were on the wrong end of the result on just one occasion which was when the teams last met in a Cup competition in August 2005 in the opening round of the SAA Supa8 Competition, a tournament which Celtic eventually went on to win.
Apart from the 2005 victory, The Amakhosi have generally easily disposed of Celtic in Cup competition, with their inaugural win in a cup game over the Free Staters coming in the first season of the Premier Soccer League in 1996.
In October 1996 Thabang Lebese got Chiefs going in a 3-0 win which saw Celtic score and an own goal and the red hot Pollen Ndlanya rounded off the rout with The Amakhosi’s third goal in a BOB Save game.
In the following season the teams clashed again in the 1997 - 1998 Rothmans Cup, in the first leg of the first round game a Robson Muchichwa brace for Chiefs saw the teams end the match deadlocked at 2-2 in Bloemfontein. When they returned for the second leg it was a different story as Isaac Kungoane gave Celtic the shakes opening the scoring in the 38th minute, before Mark Williams made sure of the win scoring Chiefs second goal in the 87th minute. Which ensured a 4-2 aggregate win for The Amakhosi and progression to the next round, and they eventually won the 1997 – 1998 Rothmans Cup.
Chiefs finest hour in a cup game against Celtic still remains their 5-0 away from home demolition of Siwelele during a BOB Save Super Bowl ¼ Final match on the 24th April 2001. Jabu Pule was by far the star performer on the day and under the leadership for Ertugral who was in his second season as Chiefs coach.
Pule was simply devastating as he netted a hat trick and kicked started Chiefs to victory by finding his first goal after just a minute, another in the 13th minute made it 2-0 to Chiefs before Siyabonga Nomvete contributed with a goal in the 66th minute and eight minutes later Pule rounded off his hat trick. Inside the final ten minutes the Zimbabwean international Luke Jukilile Petros finished off the rout scoring Chiefs fifth goal in the 83rd minute of the game.
Look out for
A goal a game from any of his strikers would most definitely please Ertugral and with Shaun Bartlett having struck in his last two outings, Ertugral would be hoping for more from his well traveled and seasoned striker. Bartlett has headed his way onto the score board in Chiefs past two games with both his goals being set up by Jimmy Tau. The right back has always been showing his colours in recent times and looks to be knocking hard on Carlos Alberto Parreira’s door for a Bafana Bafana recall. Tau with a game against his former team Orlando Pirates in the offing at the end of the month will be aiming the use Chiefs next few games to get himself pumped for the meeting with the Buccaneers.
Two other members of the Chiefs old guard, who have thrown back the years in recent matches with some hard grafted performances, are veteran midfielders Thabo Mooki and Arthur Zwane.
Mooki sparked a Chiefs revival after coming on a second half substitute against Moroka Swallows. He and fellow substitute David Obua helped Chiefs win back the midfield and had Swallows at sixes and sevens as they threw passes around the field. Mooki’s experience in Cup matches of this magnitude will count in Chiefs favour against Celtic. Now in the twilight of his career Mooki would like to win as much silver ware as he can before calling it a day.
Bloemfontein Celtic were the early pace setters in the league but have in recent times found the going some what tough as they have dropped crucial points in the league and were far from convincing. During their quarterfinal triumph over Amazulu with most pundits of the opinion that the Usuthu were unlucky not to progress from that game. It was Celtic’s match winner in the previous round and one of Chiefs coach’s former players who played for Chiefs during Ertugral’s inaugural season with The Amakhosi in 1999 – 2000 defender Gary Goldstone who was an unlikely match winner for Celtic.
Goldstone who scored his first goal in 136 top flight matches during the Amazulu win will be out to impress against his old club and boss, and accomplished defender his battle with Shaun Bartlett could be an interesting one.
Khabo Zondo has done well so far this term to bring out the best in a very young Celtic team. It is some of the more seasoned veterans who have been looking particularly dangerous. Carlo Scott the former Ajax Cape Town and Mamelodi Sundowns striker has enjoyed a revival of sorts under Zondo and is well known for his finishing abilities inside the box. There is also the 23-year-old striker Petrus Mahlatsi as well as the tough no nonsense defending of Timothy Batabaire that Chiefs will have to contend with, both players have central to the green machines amazing start to the season.
Chiefs Vs Celtic results in Cup matches since 1996
1996 – 1997
BOB Save Super Bowl ¼ Finals
Kaizer Chiefs 3 Bloemfontein Celtic 0
1997 – 1998
Rothmans Cup 1st Round 1st Leg
Bloemfontein Celtic 2 Kaizer Chiefs 2
Rothmans Cup 2nd Round 2nd Leg
Kaizer Chiefs 2 Bloemfontein Celtic
Chiefs win 4-2 on aggregate
2000 – 20001
BOB Save Super Bowl ¼ Finals
Bloemfontein Celtic 0 Kaizer Chiefs 5
2005 – 2006
SAA Supa8 ¼ Finals
Kaizer Chiefs 1 Bloemfontein Celtic 2
