Lebogang Manyama believes Kaizer Chiefs have gotten over their poor slump of form and will be at their best in the Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates on Saturday.
Manyama has been such a crucial figure in Chiefs’ rise to the top of the Absa Premiership standings, where they currently lead the chasing pack by four points.
The former Cape Town City midfielder has chipped in with plenty of assists and it has a lot to do with Manyama that Chiefs have scored an unprecedented number of goals from set-pieces this season.
Manyama was reminded of the time he was at Ajax Cape Town with George Maluleka and Khama Billiat – where they beat Pirates on the final day of the season.
“That was like 10 years ago – how many coaches have we gone through‚ different teams and different pressures [since then]?” the midfielder told Sowetan Live.
“With due respect to Ajax‚ you cannot compare the pressure there to what you have at Chiefs.
“At Chiefs‚ not sadly so‚ at the end of the day winning and winning and winning is the most important thing. A point feels like a loss.
“Sometimes‚ as the coach [Ernst Middendorp] has said‚ we’ve played not our best and won. Sometimes we played some of our best games and won. That’s how football is.
“And it happens – eventually you’re going to lose. In some games‚ like this one this weekend‚ I’m sure it will be a very different performance because you’re playing opponents who also want to play.
“So‚ also you must kind of look at who we’re playing. To make an example of it – last week we played a team who had seven natural defenders in the starting line-up.
“I mean‚ if you say you want to play football on a pitch like that‚ and in those conditions‚ I don’t know man – it’s kind of difficult.
“But‚ ja‚ that’s how football is. And ja‚ come Saturday I think we’re ready to give a much better performance as a team.”