It's not often you see a Kaizer Chiefs coach leave the club without winning a trophy. In fact, it's unheard of.

Even Ernst Middendorp, the German mockingly nicknamed "Midden-draw" for obvious reasons, was able to bring home some silverware. He won the SAA Super 8 (now MTN8) title in 2006.

Current coach Steve Komphela has just over two months to run on his contract.

He has spoken of coaches who leave their clubs "in a dustbin" and of how he's a man of process whose work should ensure progress long after he's gone.

Winning the league was always going to be a difficult task. They face Platinum Stars at FNB Stadium this afternoon (3pm) and if it's a draw, that will be their 13th of the season. It tells you a lot about what went wrong.

But Komphela is not one to throw in the towel. In the face of defeat, he has still managed to look on the bright side and move on. Even when the fans hurled insults at him, he has not given up the fight.

Komphela's men may have blown it in the league, but they still have the Nedbank Cup to play for. They face Free State Stars in the semifinal at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.

Anyone can write off Komphela and his men after almost three seasons without a trophy. It would be so easy to compare Komphela and his predecessors, which would then remind you that he's broken all the wrong records at the club.

With four league games to play, Chiefs have scored 21 goals and with their lowest scoring season being the 2007/08 season that saw them score 32 goals in 30 league games, this could be their worst scoring season since the formation of the National Soccer League (NSL) in 1985 unless, of course, they can score 11 goals in the last four matches.

But beware of the last kick of a dying horse. The league is gone but there's still the Nedbank Cup to play for and Komphela, well aware of what's at stake, has one more lifeline.

The ball is in his court.