Molefi Ntseki ready to take on more Kaizer Chiefs pressure

Amakhosi host AmaZulu in the Carling Knockout opening round on Saturday at the FNB Stadium and once again the expectation on the 54-year-old couldn’t be any higher internally and outside the club.

READ: Molefi Ntseki: Edson Castillo's Venezuela call-up a huge plus for PSL

The former Bafana Bafana coach looked calm and measured when he addressed the media this week, insisting he’s known all along what he was signing up for.

"As young as I was 28 years ago, becoming a coach, I did not know that this is a real career and you have to look after yourself, after your players, after the ambitions and the interests of the club. I think we come from an environment where club coaches were coaches before and club coaches being coaches, they'll always demand. They'll always tell you what needs to happen but at a professional level it's a bit different and it comes with the territory," Ntseki said.

Ntseki took over a side that is in turmoil as far as their recent lack of success is concerned and missing out on the MTN8 has already led to doubts whether he’s more capable than his predecessor, Arthur Zwane.

The coach argues he doesn’t have a negative mentality.

"The pressure comes from yesterday not necessarily today because of the history of the club, the background of the club. When you take this position, even when I was appointed as Bafana Bafana coach, I was fully aware of the pressure that comes with that position," Ntseki added.

"Even this one, it's the same but you can't relegate yourself to a loser when you know you've got the capabilities and the knowledge to turn things around. I think it is that knowledge and information we have that we are working very hard to turn things around at Kaizer Chiefs."

Ntseki has twice now been pelted with objects by angry fans on the back of poor results that have left them in eighth place after nine matches with 11 points – 13 adrift of DStv Premiership log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.

But he says that doesn’t mean Chiefs, are failing.

"When you talk of patience people tend to think you are trying to protect yourself and I think patience is not only about the results. Patience is about the process that you are in because in a process you are projecting the product and the product at times doesn't come out to be the colour you want, but at the same time it doesn't mean you have failed in achieving what you wanted to achieve," Ntseki explained.

With the Glamour Boys having made nine new signings this season, Ntseki believes there’s still enough time to deliver on his mandate.

The Carling Knockout cup could very well be high on that list of priorities.

"The club has made a very strong stunt in acquiring the technical team, acquiring the players and in that acquiring of the players it's a process also because I normally say this, you come from other teams, coming into Kaizer Chiefs. When you arrive at the village it's a different environment. 

The demands are different, the requirements are different. So, I think as of now as a team, as players as coaches I think we are getting it right because we are balancing performance with results. As soon as we get the results, people will be able to see that we are having a very good performance from the team."