Golden Arrows head coach Steve Komphela has launched a fierce attack on Belgian coach Luc Eymael saying that any South African club owner that employed him would be ‘close to stupid.’
The former Polokwane City and Free State Stars coach has been trying to engineer a return to the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in recent months and has been known to have gone directly to club bosses whose coaching staff have been under pressure.
When under-pressure AmaZulu boss Cavin Johnson was asked about his position and reports that Eymael had made contact with his employers, Komphela was quick to enter the debate.
Komphela’s comments about respect date back to the previous season when he was still at Kaizer Chiefs and Eymael at Ea Lla Koto.
At the time, Komphela was under pressure at Amakhosi, with the Belgian reportedly taking advantage of the situation by giving Chiefs an ultimatum in terms of hiring him following his impressive job at Stars.
Eymael is alleged to be doing something similar to Johnson, with reports suggesting he has made contact with senior members of AmaZulu’s management.
Komphela says there was no point trying to be kind towards Eymael.
Eymael made his name in South African football by guiding Polokwane to the sixth spot, a league-high position for the club then. He then left under a cloud after joining Bloemfontein Celtic, whilst at the same time still being contracted to Rise and Shine.
He eventually parted ways with the Limpopo side, before joining Stars in early 2017/18 season.
The Belgian coach led the club to a first trophy, the Nedbank Cup, in over two decades at the end of the season, but left the club in trouble early in the next campaign after a big-club move failed to materialise. Johnson and Komphela say he is a man that spells trouble.
Komphela and Johnson were both addressing the media after their Absa Premiership Durban derby ended in a 1-1 draw on Saturday.
The ex-Bafana Bafana captain and coach also defended his stance against Eymael, adding that his blood pressure was not rising, but he was merely upset that a man could be so oblivious towards others.
Meanwhile, AmaZulu media officer Nhlanhla Makhathini states that they are standing by their coach. An hour after that comment Usuthu fired Johnson. – Report by Thahir Asmal
