Given Msimango attributes Kaizer Chiefs consistency to a mentality shift.
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Kaizer Chiefs are relishing a sense of calm and confidence around the team after getting through a difficult phase by sticking to their traditions, which is why they’ll approach the Soweto derby with the same methods and mentality.
Chiefs will visit Pirates in the Soweto derby at FNB Stadium on Sunday afternoon (3pm kick-off). They are underdogs on paper, given Pirates’ upper hand in the league, victory in the reverse leg, and sheer dominance in the last five derbies.
However, Chiefs will head to the derby eager to rubber stamp their authority. They are on a high after winning five league games in a row, and drawing one in the last six, cementing their Top 3 aspirations.
Their turnaround has also lifted the pressure off the shoulders of co-coaches, Cedric Kaze and Khalil Ben Youssef, with former critics suddenly advocating for them to be given the reins permanently heading into the next season.
Given Msimango, who’s been involved in the ups and downs of the season as a spectator due to an injury and on-field personnel after bouncing back to full-fitness, revealed the secret behind the change of fortunes.
“I think there’s been a consistency in methods, regardless of how difficult the situation is,” he said. “I think we stuck to our guns – even though the results and we were getting negative feedback; we never deviated from who we are as Kaizer Chiefs and players”.
Msimango attributes the consistency and a mentality shift for the positive change, stating:
“We have applied ourselves very well, and it’s starting to show now that consistency pays off. The mentality shift also plays a huge role. Big up to Chiefs for that!”
The Soweto derby is the mother of all derbies in the land, making it the biggest event in the sporting calendar, and form usually counts for nothing due to the magnitude of the game and emotional investment.
Msimango warned his legion about playing the occasion, and not the game, insisting that they can’t let go of their working methods, especially after the 3-0 defeat in the reverse leg.1
“Firstly, I must acknowledge the embarrassment of the defeat,” he said. “As players, we take responsibility for the results of that game. But we’ve brushed that off now, and we are looking at what's to come”.
He said their recent results have been a confidence booster, and they “don’t have to start changing our approach because of the derby. We need to apply the same things, and information we’ve been getting from the coaches”.
A Soweto derby win would go a long way in cementing Chiefs’ Top 3 finish, which would guarantee CAF Confederation Cup qualification next season. The team is still expected to challenge for trophies every season despite being due for a barren run.
When asked if the "purple patch" means they’ve forgotten their calibre and only thrive under less pressured situations, Msimango replied:
“I wouldn’t say there’s more freedom now, but better understanding of the magnitude of the club that one is playing for”.
He concluded that everyone needs to understand where they are and the type of club they are playing for to make it easier to get together.
“There are certain elements that we needed to come together, fix and try to get right,” he said. “It is just unfortunate that it happened at that stage of the season. These are things we should have dealt with in the pre-season. But it’s football, nothing is cast in stone”.