Why Middendorp deserves praise
In general, Mathoho has had a stellar campaign for a Chiefs side currently top of the table thanks, in part, to both the defender’s performances at the back and his goalscoring ability. Looking deeper, we can see that his same weaknesses from previous seasons still remain though in terms of defending the channels, stepping into midfield to make interceptions, or when trying to play out from the back. Thankfully, the style of play this season – a direct, more rudimentary game plan – has brought out Mathoho’s strengths and hidden his weaknesses for the most part, for which Middendorp deserves the bulk of the praise. Some may say the football isn’t always the best to watch, but it is the style that brings out the best in many players.
At the age of 30, Mathoho is not likely to develop into a ball-playing defender who can defend wide open spaces, so his future performances at Naturena are likely to be reliant on playing under a coach who sets his team up in a more direct system. This will protect Mathoho defensively and not ask him to play in an expansive passing style of play, where he would look like a fish out of water. Despite these shortcomings, Mathoho has had something of a rebirth this season and has been one of the league’s better-performing central defenders. He still has a good few years left in him should he play for a team that highlights his strengths and masks his vulnerabilities.