Moroka Swallows head coach Steve Komphela is unperturbed about facing his former club, Mamelodi Sundowns, in the MTN8 quarter-finals on Saturday.
The clash, set to be played at the Lucas ‘Masterpieces’ Moripe Stadium in Pretoria,will be Komphela’s first meeting with Sundowns since parting ways with the Tshwane giants two months ago.
The ex-Sundowns senior coach joined Moroka Swallows on a three-year deal ahead of the new PSL season. He has already led the Dube Birds in two games in the DStv Premiership, with the most recent one ending in a 1-0 defeat against Cape Town City at Dobsonville Stadium.
Komphela, who was addressing the media in Soweto, said that he is raring to go against Sundowns even though he admitted his return to the Tshwane giants as an opponent is emotional.
STEVE KOMPHELA ON FACING MAMELODI SUNDOWNS
“It’s going to be exciting, obviously and in as much as I spent three years at Sundowns and Andile [Jali] spent so many years,” said Komphela. “He [Jali] got so many medals with them and has so many friends there, and they share a lot of memories.
“Partly maybe emotional but professional, we have to go on with our business. Our project still needs to hit a positive note, and we are facing a very good Mamelodi Sundowns team.”
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“We just have to prepare ourselves by looking at what we want to achieve and putting it up against Sundowns. And without coming with ridiculous expectations that we will beat Sundowns and all that.
“I have to go and tell myself that I am testing our project, so how best can I when I am playing against the current champions?
“Let me see how this template could match if I am playing against the best team. It’s exciting; every player and coach would want to play such matches.”