Kaizer Chiefs players are letting down the club and coach Steve Komphela‚ says defender Kgotso Moleko.

Komphela is going through the “fire”‚ as fullback Moleko put it this week‚ emphasising also that Chiefs’ next two matches are not easy.

After playing Bloemfontein Celtic in the friendly Macufe Cup at Free State Stadium on Sunday (3pm)‚ Amakhosi return to official action against African champions Mamelodi Sundowns on October 17‚ then meet Orlando Pirates in the Soweto Derby four days later.

Moleko said he is “sad” to see Komphela under so much pressure from the supporters‚ who are demanding the latter be sacked after two seasons without a trophy.

Komphela not giving up yet 

“I can say as players I think we owe the coach and we owe the club (to start doing well) ‚” the defender said.

“It’s so sad to see that people are blaming him and as players we are sad‚ because we are disappointing him. We need to fight together and try to get some results for the club. I think that’s what we can do.

“I think we don’t have luck and sometimes it is lack of focus. I think that’s what has let us down most of the time. You can see we are trying to play good football‚ but sometimes it’s not getting there.”

Moleko’s sentiments were echoed by goalkeeper Brilliant Khuzwayo‚ who said he understood why Komphela has been shielding the players from blame.

“In any family‚ there is a father‚ there’s a mother and there are children. The father is the head‚ so every mistake that happens at home‚ the father should stand up all the time and protect the children‚” Khuzwayo said.

“So for him (Komphela) it’s all about protecting us so that we can enjoy this God-given talent that we are having‚” Khuzwayo claimed.

Khuzwayo said it’s important for Chiefs to beat Celtic to gain some momentum before taking on the Brazilians and Buccaneers.

“I think this match is quite important for us‚” he said.