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Golden Arrows head coach Steve Komphela says going back to the club was not a difficult decision to make.
Speaking after ending Abafana Besthende’s 11-game losing streak, beating Polokwane City 1-0 this past weekend, Komphela says knowing and being assured of the Chairlady Mato Madlala’s support also made things easier for him.
Komphela’s first stint with Arrows was between 2019 and 2020 and from that first spell, he built a strong team together with his former assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi, who is now at Orlando Pirates.
Komphela says he saw this second coming at Arrows, as an opportunity to come in and help.
''First of all you have to consider the level of risk, I spoke to a friend of mine before I went to Durban and he said what if...
''Fear, if you're governed by fear - you will go nowhere. But the fact that we knew that I have worked at Arrows before and I know that the Chair lady has got support, she gives support to her coaches. And having looked at the team and looked at the table, it was quite realistic to say no man go and help people who need help,'' said Komphela.
Mabhuti Khanyeza has been the Arrows sole head coach since his former co-coach Vusumuzi “Kanu” Vilakazi left for Chippa United in October last year.
He had a good start and also won the Dstv Premiership Coach of the Month for October 2023.
But then came the 11-game winless streak, Komphela also explains that there was nothing sinister about his absence from the bench this past weekend as he was serving a suspension.
He’s also giving him and Musa Bilankulu lots of credit for the work they have done with the team.
''One thing I have picked up with Mabhuti Khenyeza and Musa Bilankulu is that they have grown tremendously, I worked with Bilankulu at under 23 in 2005. When you're sitting on a technical table, understand that these guys are so rich with knowledge, and you take pride that this guy I coached now is coaching with me,'' added Komphela.
Komphela has also described the theme behind the video they played just before this game for the players, which also helped with their mental strength.
He says the focus was on pain and growth.
''Don't focus on the negative, we didn't even look at what was happening. The clip we played for them before we left the meeting room was about pain and growth. Making them understand that pain brings growth,'' said Komphela.
After leaving Moroka Swallows recently, Komphela had revealed that his next assignment he would like to be a project and not just a job and he opened up on what this is all about.
''The most concerning thing for any adult and any leader is to get to a stage where you say, it is beyond a job , it is about others, it is about the project. A project wants you to be a team player, and help others survive too,'' he concluded.
