COACH ERNST WARNS CHIEFS NOT TO TAKE FOOT OFF THE PEDAL
Ernst says his charges must give their all in Madagascar Caf clash
Even though the Amakhosi hold a 3-0 lead, there is no room for complacency in second-leg match in Madagascar
Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp has urged his players to guard against complacency and finish the job when they take on Elgeco Plus FC in a Caf Confederation Cup second leg clash in Antananarivo‚ Madagascar‚ on Saturday.
Chiefs enjoy a healthy 3-0 cushion from the first leg in Durban last weekend through a brace by Leonardo Castro and a lone strike from Philani Zulu.
The strict German mentor‚ who joined Chiefs almost two weeks ago‚ doesn’t want his players to undermine the islanders at the Stade Municipal de Mahamasina on Saturday.
“It is one game at a time‚” said Middendorp‚ who described Amakhosi as “work in progress”.
“I really don’t know what will happen in the next match‚ save to say we are going back to the training ground to recoup and prepare for the trip to Madagascar.
“We are looking forward to the trip to Madagascar where we anticipate a tough game. But we will give it a go‚ we will do our utmost to proceed to the playoffs‚” said Middendorp.
Before Castro scored his two late goals in Durban‚ which may prove to be crucial in this twolegged tie‚ a small section of the Chiefs fans displayed their frustration by heckling him.
Middendorp pleaded with the supporters to get behind all the players rather than unsettle them. “Castro is a goalscorer and not an entertainer.
“Thankfully he delivered the two goals to give us a good aggregate score going away to play in Madagascar.
“The supporters need to understand the roles of each player‚” he said, explaining some of the changes he made during the match.
“Philani [Zulu] was drafted at fullback position to take the place of Godfrey Walusimbi after he was substituted by Siphelele Ntshangase.
“We are just worried about Mario Booysen and Khama Billiat who came out with some niggles after the game but we will watch them carefully during the week.”
Meanwhile, Chiefs will hire an expensive charter to get them to Madagascar and be more importantly back in time for Christmas.
Flight links with the island nation are not available daily and Chiefs do not want their team to be stuck in Tana with the holidays approaching.
Accordingly‚ the team will make the three-hour flight on Friday‚ train at the match venue on the eve of Saturday’s game‚ play their match and then head home.
“It is an expensive exercise but we have no alternative because there are not that many flights‚” said Chiefs’ football manager Bobby Motaung.
The club will then give the players time off from Monday
We will give it a go‚ we will do our utmost to proceed to the playoffs
through to Thursday to celebrate Christmas but all are expected back for training on Friday December 27.
“We will give them two more days off over New Year‚” Motaung explained.
Chiefs first game of 2019 is arguably their toughest of the campaign yet‚ against champions Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday January 5.
Chiefs are heavily fancied to progress to the third round of the Confederation Cup with the three-goal advantage they amassed over Elgeco Plus last Saturday night.
Aggregate victory will see them go into the draw for the third round of the cup where the 16 winners of second round matches in the Confederation Cup are paired against 16 teams who have lost in the Champions League. —