Golden Arrows head coach Mabhuti Khenyeza believes he is ready for the hot seat after he was given the head coaching role at the club.
Khenyeza has taken over at Arrows as sole charge after his co-coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi shockingly resigned early this month to be appointed as the technical director of Chippa United.
Vilakazi joined Arrows in 2006/07 season as a player before assuming many other positions within the club – such as being the communications manager, DStv Diski Challenge coach, senior assistant and co-coaching of the club, before ending his stay with the Durban club after 20 years.
He and Khenyeza were given the dual role at the beginning of last term after the sacking Lehlohonolo Seema in April last year.
While things started badly then, this time Arrows, with many shrewd free agents players signed on top of 10 Bet sponsorship, have seen things swing better.
They have won three, lost once and drawn two in six matches played, and are currently lying second in the DStv Premiership table with 11 points, seven points behind log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.
“I don’t have a problem with that,” said Khenyeza when asked how he is going to deal with all eyes on him, unlike before when he was holding the job together with Vilakazi.
“I don’t worry about the press. I have been in football for how many years? I wouldn’t have done what I have done all these years and focused on who says what.
“When you coach players, you are not looking for the approval of others. The most important thing is we need to see progress in the system.”
Arrows, post Vilakazi era, were held to a goalless draw by tricky side Stellenbosch FC at Mpumalanga Stadium on Saturday, which kept their unbeaten start at home.
Lion, as Khenyeza is known in football, saw plenty of positives on his side even though they were on the back foot in the first half.
After a few alterations in the second half, Ryan Moon missed a sitter, failing to get a proper connection of the ball with his header going wide.
“I think Stellenbosch is a good team to play against,” said Khenyeza.
“They have been together for some time. We didn’t play well in the first half and after we made few changes in the second half, we were more effective and we started to create opportunities, we started to look dangerous.
“But it is the same team, same approach as before, nothing has changed and it is only that so and so in position. But still the same players and we are working in the same way.”
