Are Chiefs about to be educated?
THEIR captain’s nickname is “Caterpillar” and the question tomorrow will be whether fourth-division Edu Sports have the legs to creep past or keep pace with Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium.
THEIR captain’s nickname is “Caterpillar” and the question tomorrow will be whether fourth-division Edu Sports really have the legs to creep past or even hold Kaizer Chiefs in their Nedbank Cup last-32 match at FNB Stadium.
Defender Samuel Monama said the nickname comes from being a hard worker. The connection seems tenuous, and Edu’s claim to performing the giant-killing act of the century with a group of unheralded players from the SAB League would seem as questionable.
Even the minnows from Soshanguve, north of Pretoria, admit they have a slim chance against SA’s glamour giants, who are on the rebound after their first league defeat of the season, 2-0 away to SuperSport United on Tuesday.
In fact, the side coached by former Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns star Bricks Mudau are surprised to be in the last 32 at all. They progressed from the previous round with a disciplinary committee decision against third-division African All Stars for crowd disruption.
“We saw on the fixture list we were going to play Kaizer Chiefs — because before it had said Africa All Stars would,” Monama said. “When we knew we would play Chiefs we were a bit shaky but understood that this is a great opportunity for us. Maybe they could spot some players from our team, and that would mean a lot to us.”
The one, overriding factor in Sports’ favour is their anonymity. Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter admitted he knows practically nothing about Mudau’s team.
“I have to admit we don’t get the same intelligence on some of our cup opponents as we do against our Premier Soccer League opponents. We do have some stuff but it’s not very detailed,” the coach said.
“But I think our preparations have been to recuperate as best we can from the previous games.
“And to now try to make a rotational system that will both put some players who need rest on the sidelines, and players who are hungry to play and fresh on the field so we can be competitive.
“Because we know that in every cup in the world when you take on a team from a lower league it’s always fraught with banana skins and mines. You have to make sure your players stay focused.”
Mudau, who works for the club for free as it cannot afford to pay him, has tried to impart his playing experience on his wideeyed youngsters ahead of the clash at the World Cup final venue. “We are lucky that we watch Chiefs play week in and week out, and we’ve tried to prepare the best we can for them,” he said.
One other point that might be in Edu’s favour is that Chiefs have come back from the Africa Cup of Nations break in unconvincing form. A hard-earned 0-0 away draw against Bloemfontein Celtic was followed by a 2-1 home Caf Champions League win against Botswana’s Township Rollers. Then they lost against Supersport.
Much of Chiefs’ lack of rhythm stems from being unable to find the right system to deal with the absence of Kingston Nkhatha’s aggression and work rate at centre forward since his transfer to SuperSport. Even then, though, this seems surely just too much of a stretch for Edu.
Itumeleng Khune will be back in goal for Chiefs tomorrow, said coach Baxter, as a deal between the star goalkeeper and the club over a new contract remains to be formalised. Baxter had previously said he would not play Khune while his situation was unclear, but said yesterday: “I understand that the talks now are very cordial and it is close to be settled. “I’m not privy to the ins and outs of the negotiations but Itu’s attitude has been good and he has been training hard.”
Khune made a comeback after a fivemonth hiatus for Chiefs against Township Rollers last Saturday.
But while the Bafana Bafana captain, Nhlanhla Khuzwayo, has still to put pen to paper on a new contract with the club — his current deal runs out in June and he had initially wanted to leave Chiefs — Baxter has not been using him in the league games. Khuzwayo played on Tuesday night when Chiefs went down to SuperSport United in the league, having their 19-match unbeaten run halted in the process.
“He hasn’t done anything to put him out of the team,” said Baxter of the latest holder of the Bafana Bafana No 1 jersey.
“But Itu will play in the Nedbank Cup game and I haven’t decided yet who is going to play in Botswana next week.
“I have a choice of two good goalkeepers. If the contract talks are promising I can feel free to pick who I want,” Baxter said.
Baxter will rotate his team for what is expected to be an easy tie for AmaKhosi. “All the bench from Tuesday’s game against SuperSport might play and have a chance to do well.”