As much as he’s convinced they’ve done well in the league, despite being 17 points behind Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs’ Given Msimango says seeing their supporters' hurt troubles him.
Chiefs hit a new low last Saturday when they were eliminated by second-tier Milford from the Nedbank Cup in the first round at home. The defeat means Amakhosi, who last won a cup by lifting the league title in the 2014/15 season, will have to wait for another season to end their prolonged trophy drought.
Amakhosi face Moroka Swallows in the league at FNB Stadium on Saturday (5.45pm). Chiefs are unbeaten in their last five league games with three wins and two draws, keeping four clean sheets in the process. Perhaps their little purple patch in their recent league outing is what convinces Msimango to think they are not that bad.
“When you look at our league performances, they speak for themselves. I feel in that aspect we’ve been doing well as a team in terms of keeping those clean sheets,'' Msimango said during the team’s media open day at Naturena on Thursday.
“What hurts the most is seeing the hurt from our supporters because before anything else, we are human beings...they use their hard-earned money to come to the stadium to support us in numbers. Of course you interact with some of them as you go on with your daily life and you see the hurt in their eyes.
“During the little conversation you have with that petrol attendant or that retailer at a shopping centre when they recognise you, you understand how hurt they are. So, as a human being you can feel the hurt.”
Msimango urged the Amakhosi faithful to keep believing in the current group of players, stressing the importance of forgetting about the Milford heartache and to focus on the “big” Swallows clash.
“All we ask for is for them to maintain the hope, maintain the belief in the current crop of players...it’s a new generation and we bring a different skill sets to this club,” Msimango said.
“We come from a very disappointing game in the Nedbank Cup but we have to put that behind us and focus on the game against Swallows. We understand that it was a massive loss. We just need to pick ourselves up."
Fixtures
Today: Stellenbosch v Chippa, Danie Craven (7.30pm)
Tomorrow: Polokwane v Pirates, Peter Mokaba (3.30pm); Chiefs v Swallows, FNB (5.45pm); Bay v Royal, King Zwelithini (8pm)
Sunday: Spurs v Galaxy, Athlone Stadium (3.30pm)
We feel your pain, Given tells fans
Utterly dejected Amakhosi hope to bounce back as they host Swallows
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
As much as he’s convinced they’ve done well in the league, despite being 17 points behind Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs’ Given Msimango says seeing their supporters' hurt troubles him.
Chiefs hit a new low last Saturday when they were eliminated by second-tier Milford from the Nedbank Cup in the first round at home. The defeat means Amakhosi, who last won a cup by lifting the league title in the 2014/15 season, will have to wait for another season to end their prolonged trophy drought.
Amakhosi face Moroka Swallows in the league at FNB Stadium on Saturday (5.45pm). Chiefs are unbeaten in their last five league games with three wins and two draws, keeping four clean sheets in the process. Perhaps their little purple patch in their recent league outing is what convinces Msimango to think they are not that bad.
“When you look at our league performances, they speak for themselves. I feel in that aspect we’ve been doing well as a team in terms of keeping those clean sheets,'' Msimango said during the team’s media open day at Naturena on Thursday.
“What hurts the most is seeing the hurt from our supporters because before anything else, we are human beings...they use their hard-earned money to come to the stadium to support us in numbers. Of course you interact with some of them as you go on with your daily life and you see the hurt in their eyes.
“During the little conversation you have with that petrol attendant or that retailer at a shopping centre when they recognise you, you understand how hurt they are. So, as a human being you can feel the hurt.”
Msimango urged the Amakhosi faithful to keep believing in the current group of players, stressing the importance of forgetting about the Milford heartache and to focus on the “big” Swallows clash.
“All we ask for is for them to maintain the hope, maintain the belief in the current crop of players...it’s a new generation and we bring a different skill sets to this club,” Msimango said.
“We come from a very disappointing game in the Nedbank Cup but we have to put that behind us and focus on the game against Swallows. We understand that it was a massive loss. We just need to pick ourselves up."
Fixtures
Today: Stellenbosch v Chippa, Danie Craven (7.30pm)
Tomorrow: Polokwane v Pirates, Peter Mokaba (3.30pm); Chiefs v Swallows, FNB (5.45pm); Bay v Royal, King Zwelithini (8pm)
Sunday: Spurs v Galaxy, Athlone Stadium (3.30pm)
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