Daniel Akpeyi urges Moroka Swallows boss to be patient with Steve Komphela’s philosophy

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The club boss has at least twice this season absconded a Swallows match citing the “play from the back” philosophy was giving him anxiety, especially after The Dube Birds were punished for a costly error.

Akpeyi, who has been the culprit at times, says this is the modern way.

“If you look around the structures that every team plays or most teams play in the world right now, this whole idea came from Pep Guardiola, I think. It’s basically we wanna play from the back and we’ll work on it day after day, session after session to make sure that we perfect it. Well, it’s expected that hiccups are gonna happen,” Akpeyi said.

Swallows host Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday in the DStv Premiership, and the Nigerian international sees no need to deviate from Komphela’s instructions.

“We are on the field doing what we are instructed to do. So far, I think it has helped us because if you’ve been watching the games, you observed that most times when we start like that, we end up having a chance probably from the first minute or the second minute. So, we never stop no matter how hard you try to press us, we still keep going,” Akpeyi added.

“So, it’s the confidence the coach has built in us. Working on the field and working outside are two different things. So, I understand from the chairman’s perspective but we just have to do our job.”

As a former Chiefs player, Akpeyi knows how good the Glamour Boys can be on their day although that hasn’t been the case in this campaign.

With Swallows in fifth place and Amakhosi five places below on the log table, their form guide suggests the home side have the edge.

But it’s not that straightforward for Akpeyi.

“Playing a team that is kind of struggling is a difficult one to play. It’s not gonna be an easy one on Sunday because they are looking for points everywhere, we are looking to sustain our position on the log. So, this is gonna be the case of two lions fighting. We are already expecting what is to come on that day and we are prepared for it.”

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