Things are much better at Chiefs this season, says defender Gordinho
The Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban had become Kaizer Chiefs’ second home – and to some extent a fortress – until two incidents that happened in Nedbank Cup games at the same venue that left Amakhosi with egg on their face.
Lorenzo Gordinho (Pic Sydney Mahlangu/ BackpagePix)
The incidents – which the team would rather bury and never talk about again – have made the team’s return to the Durban stadium where they get a full house every time a bit of a nervous business.
Amakhosi decided to play their first home game of the new Absa Premiership campaign at Moses Mabhida where they meet a wounded Black Leopards side this evening. The match is set for an 8.15 kick-off.
But Amakhosi defender, Lorenzo Gordinho believes he team has refreshed and ready to make new and enjoyable memories for their supporters who he credited with encouraging the team to keep trying despite turbulent times of the past four seasons.
Gordinho rejoined Amakhosi in midway through last season after spending a year on loan at Bloemfontein Celtic.
“When I came back before the end of the season a lot of things were not going well here at Naturena… especially after the Nedbank Cup defeat,” said Gordinho this week.
“But since we came back from the offseason the mentality has changed a lot. The team have grown. We have become stronger. We have become a unit and we understand what we did wrong last season and how we can rectify it.
“Everyone is ready to fight this season. Everyone is willing to fight in every minute of every game. Even at training we are fighting for positions,” he added. Amakhosi’s fighting spirit is not easy to dispute after they managed to come back from 2-1 down against Highlands Park at Makhulong Stadium to win 3-2 under strenuous conditions.
This is what makes Gordinho believe the team will have better fortunes in their campaign this season. He said they are using the fumbling of the last four years as inspiration.
“It’s heavy. It’s very heavy,” he said of the pressure on their shoulders. “But during our preseason preparations we worked on that aspect mentally; to understand that it is heavy pressure but it shouldn’t weight us down on the field. It must be something that gives us more fire, more spirit to win want to win something.
“It’s possible. It’s a new season and everyone is starting on zero. What happened last season is gone and although people will always want to compare last season to his season, it’s two different seasons. A lot of things have happened in between. A lot of things have changed. I believe it is going to be a good season for us.”
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