South Africa: PSL's "Shakespeare," Steve Komphela, may finally win silverware

A surprisingly trophyless career

Pitso Mosimane and Steve Komphela during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Qualifier match between South Africa and Ethiopia at Royal Bafokeng Stadium on June 03, 2012 in Rustenburg, South Africa.

(June 2, 2012 - Source: Gallo Images/Getty Images Europe)

A man popular for his touchline match analysis and fatherly advice to football players, Steve Komphela is as unique as they come. The former Kaizer Chiefs  mentor has endured some tough times in his coaching career, particularly during his time with the mighty Amakhosi but he now looks like he’s on the rise again.

“Bra Steve” as fondly known by many, has come under severe scrutiny so far as his coaching credentials are concerned. During his time at Kaizer Chiefs, Komphela was unable to salvage any cup or league glory for one of the PSL’s big boys. This made him unpopular amongst the Amakhosi faithful, causing the team’s fans to riot every other match calling for the coach’s sacking. It eventually came. What’s more, Komphela has coached a few other Absa Premier Soccer league sides such as Free State Stars, Platinum Stars and Maritzburg United and is still yet to win any silverware. Such a bad record has earned Komphela an unlikeable reputation as many consider him to be an average coach and will remain so until he actually wins something.

Take nothing away from Bra Steve, I consider him to be one of the vastly experienced local coaches in South Africa. Unfortunately, being at a team like Kaizer Chiefs came with high expectations that the 50-year old tactician couldn’t meet. Being trophyless for three consecutive seasons at a team as big as Chiefs is not something easily acceptable especially by the supporters. While others believe the coach was often times than not eluded by mother luck, things were just not falling into place for Bra Steve. His history for not winning any silverware didn't make things easier for him and many thought that misfortune was seemingly following him during his stay at Amakhosi.

“His mastery of the English language is second to none. In almost all of the post match interviews, he is seldom relenting to drop some words of unpopular wisdom in a serious manner that comes across as humorous. His use of rare english words and philosophical quotes can only be comprehended by few but widely accepted by all.”

— Siphosethu Thwala, FirstTouch Africa

Having recently moved on from Amakhosi in the summer, Komphela was snatched by a Free State side, Bloemfontein Celtic to spearhead the team in the recently started ABSA premiership season. In what has been a terrific start for the team, under Komphela’s management, Celtic have amassed a total of 13 points from the first 5 games of the season, only dropping points against Komphela’s former employers in Chiefs during a 2-2 draw. This excellent run has set tongues wagging from the football fraternity and many have started believing that perhaps Komphela might be onto something here. To crown him for the glittering start to the 2017/18 season, Komphela was awarded the Absa Premiership Coach of the month for August. With Celtic looking like a well-oiled machine that is on a roll, this can probably be the season where Komphela finally breaks his duck and salvages some silverware in his cup-shy coaching career. However it should also be noted that it is still early in the season and a lot could still happen. Nonetheless, the signs are there and certainly football fans have noticed Steve’s “comeback mission” judging from his team’s performances.

He is probably not the first unsuccessful coach, why feature him?

Outside the pitch, Komphela is your “Shakespeare” of the Absa Premiership. His mastery of the English language is second to none. In almost all of the post match interviews, he is seldom relenting to drop some words of unpopular wisdom in a serious manner that comes across as humorous. His use of rare english words and philosophical quotes can only be comprehended by few but widely accepted by all. That’s typical vintage Komphela for you and it is in such moments that make him a popular figure in the football circles of Southern Africa. Being one of the most experienced coaches in South Africa, one would think it is only a matter of time before we see Komphela lift some silverware that has long eluded him. The breezing start to the season with Phunya Sele sele (Bloemfontein Celtic) seems to suggest that. Whether Celtic can go all the way remains to be seen. Can Steve do it? Is he the real deal? You decide.

Culture: South Africa has a philosopher in witty football coach, Steve Komphela

Popularly known as ‘Bra Steve,’ the South African football coach is a social media and television favorite. Steve Komphela is widely appreciated and respected in South Africa and across the borders for his almost always hilarious-post match commentaries and interviews. He intelligently reviews his teams’ performances and delivers the analysis in metaphors and riddles. Supersport presenters, Carol and Robert Marawa have always joked about how one needs to bring a thesaurus whenever they interview the philosophical coach. What I find particularly striking about Bra Steve is that he seems not be intentional about being amusing, he delivers his messages with a stern face and leaves some rolling on the floor laughing and most, reflecting on the deep lessons coded in the highly consumable speeches.

Here are some of Komphela’s famous quotes:

“We didn’t play well, but we won, we now have to wait for the next team. We go on; we hope to improve from here. Statistics are like a bikini, they don’t reveal everything.”

“If you go to the graveyard and haunt the sleeping, the spirits shall come to haunt you. And this is what transpired. They needed to come up, and it was at our expense.”

“The PSL has rough seas and there are plenty of sharks – teams with strong financial muscle. We have already gone through two dangerous sharks. And on Saturday we face the Great White Shark. It will be very difficult, one has to acknowledge their strength but we confidently move to Saturday hoping that by the end of the match we will be smiling.”

— Komphela ahead of his side’s Nedbank Cup semi-final against Mamelodi Sundowns

Steve Komphela has enjoyed quite a relatively successful career as a player and mostly as a manager. He has coached a plethora of South African clubs including Maritzburg United, Free State Stars, Platinum Stars, South Africa U-23 and South African national team as a caretaker coach. Komphela who is also a teacher by profession has recently left the Kaizer Chiefs coaching job after as a result of ever-mounting pressure from the fans.