Injury could upset plans for Modise
Cape Town City’s potential leader
Teko Modise has been touted as the key signing this season for championship-chasing Cape Town City with new coach Benni McCarthy describing the 34-year-old as the potential leader of his team.
But a groin strain kept Modise from a debut for his new club last weekend and is likely to stymie a planned first league outing when City open the new campaign away at defending champions Bidvest Wits on Friday night.
Modise was supposed to start Saturday’s 1-0 win over Polokwane City in the MTN8 quarter-final but withdrew during the warm-up before kick off when he felt a tightening of the groin.
He had been pulled from training the day before, complaining of the same problem but was then passed fit to play by the club’s medical team.
City coach McCarthy said it was unlikely Modise would feature against Wits, even if his is supposed to be the midfield anchor.
“I don’t think he’ll play. I think we’ll probably give him more time to get over the injury. We could give him an injection and he’d then be able to play but we then run the risk of him suffering a more extensive injury which keeps him out for weeks.”
The 34-year-old Modise moved to City as their marquee pre-season signing after coming to the end of his contract at Sundowns and refusing to sign a new deal as he sought to move elsewhere after losing his place in the Brazilians’ starting line-up.
“He is the player who can dictate the pace of the game for us,” added McCarthy.
City are seeking to challenge for the title again this season after their maiden campaign saw them finish third. They play Wits again later in the month over two legs in the MTN8 semi-finals.