Home

Eymael responds to Komphela, doesn’t rule out PSL return

Reading Time: 3 minutes

Former Free State Stars and Polokwane City head coach Luc Eymael has responded to Golden Arrows head coach Steve Komphela’s comments in the media that local clubs should stay away from the Belgian coach.

Komphela made his statement after their 1-all draw against AmaZulu FC in an Absa Premiership match this past weekend.

Eymael had reportedly been in touch with AmaZulu FC in recent weeks following their slow start into the new season. Usuthu parted ways with their coach Cavin Johnson on Monday after a five game winless start this season.

Eymael who has a history with Komphela from the latter’s time at Kaizer Chiefs, responds to the criticism below:

Eymael was also the coach when Stars beat Chiefs 2-0 in the Nedbank Cup semi-final which led to Komphela’s resignation at Amakhosi following the violence that broke out at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

When Komphela was about to leave Chiefs, Eymael was linked to the job and at times appeared to be availing himself to the Amakhosi management whilst he was still in charge of Stars.

This caused a fallout between him and Komphela and he admits that he could’ve handled things differently in the past.

Amazulu is one of the clubs that he’s been strongly linked with.

Eymael is currently back at home in Belgium after leaving Egypt at the end of June. He left the country in the middle of last season following a poor start with Stars, a team he helped to win its first trophy in 24 years when they lifted the Nedbank Cup in 2018 beating Maritzburg United in the final.

Before Black Leopards settled on Lionel Soccoia, the same coach they fired on Monday, they were in negotiations with Eymael but it was reported that they couldn’t agree on terms. He maintains that he’s been in communication with some PSL teams in recent days.

Recently, Eymael was also shortlisted for the vacant Zambian national team coaching job but lost to Serbian and former Bloemfontein Celtic coach Vaseline Jelusica.

Interestingly, that job is back on the market again after the Zambian government questioned the procedure followed in appointing Jelusica.

Eymael proved his worth when he transformed City, saved Bloemfontein Celtic from relegation from the stands and brought some silverware to Stars. But it’s his professionalism towards his coaching counterparts that has been questioned and at times the loose tongue in the media space, something that’s key in the local footballing industry.

He says it’s possible in the past that he was misunderstood. – Report by Velile Mnyandu

Author

MOST READ