Jonty Mark

By Jonty Mark

Football Editor


Johnson says sorry to Chiefs fans after Nedbank Cup shock

'I apologise to our 16 million supporters,' said the Chiefs interim head coach after the match.


Kaizer Chiefs’ head coach Cavin Johnson has apologised to his club’s supporters after a shock Nedbank Cup last 32 defeat on Sunday effectively condemned Amakhosi to a 9th season without a trophy.

Chiefs were beaten at FNB Stadium by Motsepe Foundation Championship side Milford FC, losing in a penalty shoot out after missing several chances to win the game in the 90 minutes, and in extra time, when Ranga Chivaviro’s penalty was saved by Siphamandla Hleza.

“I apologise to our 16 million supporters,” said the Chiefs interim head coach after the match.

“I am sure they will have been able to see the game .. it is not that we allowed them to come at us. We tried the best we could to get as far as we could, with the trophy drought as it is. Now we have lost, so the only thing we can do is repay the people by playing properly in the league.”

‘My reputation is still in tact’

Johnson, meanwhile, does not believe his own reputation has been damaged by this loss to Championship opposition. Milford, a side based in Richards Bay, have won only five of 19 first division matches this season.

“I have lost other games like this, I don’t think it damages my reputation, when you see the way the team played” said Johnson.

“If we did not attack or attempt to score, and we made tactical blunders and errors, them maybe (it would damage my reputation). If I didn’t play with defenders and put in (Jasond) Gonzalez as a defender and did dumb things, maybe my reputation would be at stake.

“But I thought we did well, and I think my reputation is still in tact, even though I lost with a big team like Chiefs.”

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