Despite their 3-1 loss to Orlando Pirates in an emotional and physical Nedbank Cup semifinal at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium at the weekend, Chippa United co-coach Kwanele Kopo said he was proud of his troops for putting up a fight against the Soweto giants.
Kabelo Dlamini was the star of the show for the Buccaneers, having bagged a brace.
Thapelo Xoki added another goal to further extend Pirates’ lead.
The only response from Chippa came from Elmo Kambindu, who managed to pull one back for the home side.
Reflecting on their loss, Kopo said they had planned to play an open game.
“If you look at our last few games, we started well and then in the second half we got pinned back,” he said.
“Today [Saturday] we started on the front by pressing Pirates, and I think we were unfortunate in the first 10 minutes to concede a goal from a free kick.
“We knew where it was going but I think after that we fought our way back into the game.
“We felt we had a shout for a foul in the box on Sinoxolo Kwayiba, the kick by Thabiso Sesane on the trail ball when he was putting his head in, and I think when that decision was not given it set a different tone for us.
“On Wednesday, in a league match against Swallows, we lost Baraka Majogoro because he got a yellow card for a high foot with less force.
“I think the analysts can go and look at that game, and tell us what is the difference that on Wednesday it’s a foul and a yellow card, and today it’s not a foul.
“From then on emotions got high with the players also and then we continued to press.
“But I felt we struggled to deal with the penetration of Pirates through the centre.”
However, Kopo said he was happy with the performance of the team in the second half.
“I am proud of the boys.
“But emotions were not only high on the pitch, but on the sideline, too, between the coaches.”
Asked to elaborate, Kopo said: “It is a bit of a sensitive one because I have never been insulted by a colleague, and I think neither has [Chippa co-coach] Thabo [September].
“I have huge respect for Orlando Pirates Football Club, huge respect for the chairman and for the management of Orlando Pirates. It is a big club.
“But the language that was [allegedly] used towards us is not needed in football, and for match officials to let it go is sad.
“Coach Steve Kompela once said that we African people tend not to love ourselves and we treat each other very badly.
“I am saying it’s subjective because when you are abused verbally, and people who have the power to stop it don’t stop it...
“Even Eva Nga was [allegedly] insulted, but the coach [of Pirates] and the officials saw it and they didn’t stop it,” he claimed.
“It becomes painful because some of us grew up in difficult political times, and you begin to ask yourself: Am I being abused because I am who I am; I am the colour I am?
“[What allegedly occurred] is not an excuse for the result, but it is bad for football.
“I understand there are emotions in the game, but there is a certain laugh we cannot use with each other; it doesn’t matter how emotional we get.
“I don’t want to make it a big issue; it is a sensitive one and I was hoping not to talk about it.
“I don’t want a headline of it but it cannot be that coaches [allegedly] use F-words and nothing happens.”
Asked to respond to Kopo’s allegation, Riveiro said he became heated protecting his players from what he saw as rough play on the field.
“I don’t have opinions about other colleagues’ opinions.
“It doesn’t make any sense — who am I to [comment] if he [Kopo] feels that we used abusive [language]?” Bucs’ coach said.
“There were moments of tension between the benches and I was not happy, and not comfortable with the situation on the field, with some of the behaviour and some of the things happening in the game that for me are not related to football at all.
“[Part of] my role is to try to protect and defend my players.
“I am a quiet person, extremely peaceful, but there are moments where you have to stand up and ask some questions about what’s going on — that’s all.
“He [Kopo] can give you a description [and] I’m ready to hear the words that he said were abusive or not abusive, because I think nothing happened out of the limits of competition and the swearing came from every angle, not only from our bench.
“Things that happen during games when emotions and the motivation before matches are so high and maybe things are not going the way you want them to, or were dreaming they might yesterday when you went to sleep, and suddenly you find a reality that is different, it’s difficult to control yourself.
“But I think Pirates’ bench was behaving in a correct and professional way, and especially defending and protecting our players, which is our obligation.” — Additional reporting by Marc Strydom, TimesLIVE
HeraldLIVE
Chippa come up short in Pirates semi
Emotions run high on and off the pitch amid claims of rough play and abusive language
Image: RICHARD HUGGARD/GALLO IMAGES
Despite their 3-1 loss to Orlando Pirates in an emotional and physical Nedbank Cup semifinal at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium at the weekend, Chippa United co-coach Kwanele Kopo said he was proud of his troops for putting up a fight against the Soweto giants.
Kabelo Dlamini was the star of the show for the Buccaneers, having bagged a brace.
Thapelo Xoki added another goal to further extend Pirates’ lead.
The only response from Chippa came from Elmo Kambindu, who managed to pull one back for the home side.
Reflecting on their loss, Kopo said they had planned to play an open game.
“If you look at our last few games, we started well and then in the second half we got pinned back,” he said.
“Today [Saturday] we started on the front by pressing Pirates, and I think we were unfortunate in the first 10 minutes to concede a goal from a free kick.
“We knew where it was going but I think after that we fought our way back into the game.
“We felt we had a shout for a foul in the box on Sinoxolo Kwayiba, the kick by Thabiso Sesane on the trail ball when he was putting his head in, and I think when that decision was not given it set a different tone for us.
“On Wednesday, in a league match against Swallows, we lost Baraka Majogoro because he got a yellow card for a high foot with less force.
“I think the analysts can go and look at that game, and tell us what is the difference that on Wednesday it’s a foul and a yellow card, and today it’s not a foul.
“From then on emotions got high with the players also and then we continued to press.
“But I felt we struggled to deal with the penetration of Pirates through the centre.”
However, Kopo said he was happy with the performance of the team in the second half.
“I am proud of the boys.
“But emotions were not only high on the pitch, but on the sideline, too, between the coaches.”
Asked to elaborate, Kopo said: “It is a bit of a sensitive one because I have never been insulted by a colleague, and I think neither has [Chippa co-coach] Thabo [September].
“I have huge respect for Orlando Pirates Football Club, huge respect for the chairman and for the management of Orlando Pirates. It is a big club.
“But the language that was [allegedly] used towards us is not needed in football, and for match officials to let it go is sad.
“Coach Steve Kompela once said that we African people tend not to love ourselves and we treat each other very badly.
“I am saying it’s subjective because when you are abused verbally, and people who have the power to stop it don’t stop it...
“Even Eva Nga was [allegedly] insulted, but the coach [of Pirates] and the officials saw it and they didn’t stop it,” he claimed.
“It becomes painful because some of us grew up in difficult political times, and you begin to ask yourself: Am I being abused because I am who I am; I am the colour I am?
“[What allegedly occurred] is not an excuse for the result, but it is bad for football.
“I understand there are emotions in the game, but there is a certain laugh we cannot use with each other; it doesn’t matter how emotional we get.
“I don’t want to make it a big issue; it is a sensitive one and I was hoping not to talk about it.
“I don’t want a headline of it but it cannot be that coaches [allegedly] use F-words and nothing happens.”
Asked to respond to Kopo’s allegation, Riveiro said he became heated protecting his players from what he saw as rough play on the field.
“I don’t have opinions about other colleagues’ opinions.
“It doesn’t make any sense — who am I to [comment] if he [Kopo] feels that we used abusive [language]?” Bucs’ coach said.
“There were moments of tension between the benches and I was not happy, and not comfortable with the situation on the field, with some of the behaviour and some of the things happening in the game that for me are not related to football at all.
“[Part of] my role is to try to protect and defend my players.
“I am a quiet person, extremely peaceful, but there are moments where you have to stand up and ask some questions about what’s going on — that’s all.
“He [Kopo] can give you a description [and] I’m ready to hear the words that he said were abusive or not abusive, because I think nothing happened out of the limits of competition and the swearing came from every angle, not only from our bench.
“Things that happen during games when emotions and the motivation before matches are so high and maybe things are not going the way you want them to, or were dreaming they might yesterday when you went to sleep, and suddenly you find a reality that is different, it’s difficult to control yourself.
“But I think Pirates’ bench was behaving in a correct and professional way, and especially defending and protecting our players, which is our obligation.” — Additional reporting by Marc Strydom, TimesLIVE
HeraldLIVE
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