Kaizer Chiefs head coach Arthur Zwane has hit back at critics regarding his future after easing mounting pressure with a vital Soweto derby win over rivals Orlando Pirates at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
Chiefs had endured a stop-start season in the DStv Premiership heading into Saturday's derby against Orlando Pirates, having won five, lost four, and drawn three of their opening 12 matches for the campaign while also crashing out of the MTN8 to AmaZulu at the semi-final stage.
With the club seven points behind league-leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, and without a trophy since the 2015/16 season, pressure had mounted on head coach Arthur Zwane ahead of the weekend's clash with speculation arising that a negative result could have cast his future at Naturena in question.
READ | Zwane: Beating Pirates doesn't mean we've won the league
The Amakhosi responded with a narrow 1-0 win over their bitter rivals courtesy of a wonder-goal from Yusuf Maart to ease that pressure and Zwane revealed that he never felt as though his job was in danger in the build-up to the sold-out encounter.
"I think as a club we have got a plan and we know that some of the things will take some time to get them to where we want them to be," the 49-year-old told media after the match.
"We will keep on grinding and working hard. I came into this game not even worried about my job, and also helping players deal with the pressure. For me, pressure is a privilege. If I'm not privileged then I wouldn't be sitting here now.
"There are many other coaches who want to be in my position so that's a privilege, and it means I am going to have to deal with the pressure. And luckily for me, I am used to pressure.
"As a player, I played for both Chiefs and Pirates, so I understand pressure. I know what it means, and I understand when our supporters are not happy that the only thing I need to do is respond like we have responded today."
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