As captain of the Bafana Bafana team that toured Australia in 1993, Steve Komphela helped rookie Eric Tinkler find his feet in the national team.
Now the two old Bafana pals, who became team-mates when South Africa lost twice on a tour Down Under 22 years ago, will square off on the touchline with Komphela coaching Kaizer Chiefs and Tinkler Orlando Pirates, in tomorrow's Soweto derby at FNB Stadium.
The mutual respect of the two was evident at yesterday's pre-derby press conference in Midrand.
"I know how competitive he was as a player," Komphela said of Tinkler.
"The first time we played together was in 1993, on a tour of Australia. And immediately I came to know him as an extremely humble person, but a fantastic footballer and fantastic leader - a person people would listen to, and someone we could learn from. He was obviously my senior. And he gave me a lot of guidance in our conversations."
Komphela admitted to some butterflies as he approaches his first derby as coach: "There is one art I have triggered. In small matches I want to have that anxiety and those butterflies, so I generate them. In big matches the butterflies will be there, but you try and calm them."
Big match a clash of old teammates
As captain of the Bafana Bafana team that toured Australia in 1993, Steve Komphela helped rookie Eric Tinkler find his feet in the national team.
Now the two old Bafana pals, who became team-mates when South Africa lost twice on a tour Down Under 22 years ago, will square off on the touchline with Komphela coaching Kaizer Chiefs and Tinkler Orlando Pirates, in tomorrow's Soweto derby at FNB Stadium.
The mutual respect of the two was evident at yesterday's pre-derby press conference in Midrand.
"I know how competitive he was as a player," Komphela said of Tinkler.
"The first time we played together was in 1993, on a tour of Australia. And immediately I came to know him as an extremely humble person, but a fantastic footballer and fantastic leader - a person people would listen to, and someone we could learn from. He was obviously my senior. And he gave me a lot of guidance in our conversations."
Komphela admitted to some butterflies as he approaches his first derby as coach: "There is one art I have triggered. In small matches I want to have that anxiety and those butterflies, so I generate them. In big matches the butterflies will be there, but you try and calm them."
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