Minister of Defence beware!": Niemach demands fireworks in the Soweto Derby

The most anticipated fixture on the South African football calendar is upon us as Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates prepare to battle it out in a vital Betway Premiership game this weekend. A derby renowned worldwide, Johannesburg will be the epicentre of football fever this Saturday. Despite recent form favouring Pirates, expect a fierce challenge from a Kaizer Chiefs team eager for victory.

With an MTN8 final rematch looming next weekend, this game carries extra significance.

Showmax caught up with Kaizer Chiefs legend Kenny Niemach for his pre-match analysis. The Soweto Derby. The very name reverberates through the South African footballing landscape, a clash of titans, a collision of cultures, a spectacle that halts a nation. This Saturday, the FNB Stadium will once again become the epicentre of this fierce rivalry as Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates lock horns in a Betway Premiership encounter of monumental significance.  

"Before the whistle has even been blown for kick-off," Niemach recalls, his voice imbued with the electric memory, "you feel the magnitude of the occasion, the build-up, the history,” Niemach said. 

He paints a vivid picture of the sensory overload that engulfs a player stepping onto that hallowed ground. 

"The moment you set foot onto that ground, you have to shut everything off because you are feeling so many different emotions. You know you have to raise your game, you know how important it is for you and your fans to walk off that pitch victorious, so psychologically, you need to get yourself into gear. The other thing you’ll notice is that the derby is a sea of colour, a sea of emotion, excitement, and expectation. These are things you feel immediately before the game." 

The pressure cooker atmosphere of the Soweto Derby distinguishes it from any other league fixture, Niemach emphasises. 

"The issue of pressure is going to be there. If you are going to be playing for the three big clubs in South Africa, in Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates, or Mamelodi Sundowns, there are big expectations. When they sign you, they expect performances from you week in and week out. The moment you’re not performing, you discover how fickle a fan base can be, because now you are at the mercy of insults and substitution attempts. So psychologically you need to bring it, even if you don’t bring it for all 90 minutes, you have to have a moment in the game, but let that moment be a decisive moment. You don’t have to be on top for 90 minutes, that’s impossible, but you need to pitch up and give a moment so you can go home satisfied." 

For Niemach, one derby moment remains indelibly etched in his memory, a testament to the fixture's profound impact. "In fact, I think my first game for Kaizer Chiefs was against Orlando Pirates in a derby. I scored a header in that game, it was a fabulous header. But I think what struck me the most about the game was the amount of excitement in the build-up to the game. 

“Also, when I stepped onto the pitch, I couldn’t hear a player that was just two metres away because there were around 100 000 fans in the stadium and it was an electric atmosphere. All these people pitched up to the stadium, and there is this weight of expectation on your shoulders. 

“Chiefs hadn’t beaten Pirates for a while, so the expectation on us as Chiefs players was really high. Thankfully I pitched up and scored this goal that was crossed by Arthur Zwane. I just wish he would have given me more opportunities like that [laughs] because that feeling was extraordinary."

Niemach's advice to the Kaizer Chiefs players is steeped in the historical weight of the occasion. 

"The advice I would give to the Chiefs players is that history alone should tell you about the size and magnitude of the occasion. But besides that, you got to dig deep into the history and culture of the club, so that when you step out onto that pitch, you understand the weight that it carries. Go out there and give your best performance. 

“At the same time, go out and enjoy the occasions and make yourself present on the pitch, show your character and class. You are on the pitch because one of the best clubs in the country entrust you with your football ability. You need to perform and show your value and quality."

Despite his unwavering loyalty to the Amakhosi, Niemach offers a pragmatic prediction based on current form. 

"Based on current form, I am going to go with Pirates. Also, the fact that you find them playing at a higher level in the Champions League, one would suspect that they would have a little more in the tank. Then again, it’s a rivalry so it's super hard to call. I am just hoping for some goals, but I’m leaning towards Pirates.