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Bucs loves Chiefs but wants to beat them

Coach explains why his players celebrated draw

Sihle Ndebele Journalist
Joseph Bucs Mthombeni co-coach of Casric Stars.
Joseph Bucs Mthombeni co-coach of Casric Stars.
Image: Philip Maeta

Laying bare his affection for Kaizer Chiefs, Casric Stars co-coach Bucs Mthombeni has explained why his players made merry upon learning that they’ll be facing Amakhosi in the Nedbank Cup last 16.

Chiefs and Casric meet at FNB Stadium on Sunday (6pm). A video of Casric players celebrating after seeing they had been pitted against Chiefs went viral last month. Casric, which is based in KwaMhlanga, Mpumalanga, are third on the Motsepe Foundation Championship standings. 

“I am a die-hard Kaizer Chiefs fan. During Arthur Zwane, Jabu Pule and Ace Mbuthu’s playing days, I always drove from Mpumalanga to come and watch Kaizer Chiefs play in Gauteng," Mthombeni, who steers the Casric ship alongside former Bloemfontein Celtic and Free Stars skippers in Thabo Nthethe and Paulus Masehe, disclosed at a media conference at PSL offices in Parktown yesterday.

“I am a staunch Chiefs fan, that’s why these boys were waiting for this [to be drawn against Chiefs], and after the draw, everyone asked, ‘which colours are you going to wear, coach?' I said, no, why are you asking me... I am a Casric Stars coach. They (his players) also wanted to see my behaviour. I also said, 'remember I chose to be here; that is why you saw the boys celebrating like that. They wanted to see what a child versus a father [battle] would be like.”

Mthombeni emphasised the celebrations didn’t mean they think it’ll be a walk in the park against Chiefs, who have been stunned a number of times before by minnows in this cup competition.

“I don’t want people to think they (his players) were celebrating that Chiefs are an easy team. I know Chiefs are a big team,” the Casric co-mentor insisted.

Asked what they are prioritising between the Nedbank Cup and gaining promotion, Mthombeni said they focus on a task at hand each and every time.

“Football has no therefores, so we won’t say we want to prioritise chasing promotion over the Nedbank Cup... there are no guarantees, so we take one game at a time."

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