Kaizer Chiefs. Photo: Richard Huggard/Gallo Images.
Throughout most of the season, Kaizer Chiefs faced numerous injuries among their players, making it challenging to maintain a consistent starting eleven.
Talking to the media on Monday evening following their 3-1 victory over Orbit College at the Nelson Mandela Stadium, co-coach Khalil Ben Youssef summarised the continuous setbacks as being “bad luck”.
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He further noted that a large percentage of these injuries appeared to take place as a result of contact in the game. This has since had a big impact on the consistency of team selection.
“In every game, we missed one player or two players, but as I said to you, 80% of our injuries were caused by contact. Also, competing in different competitions, you know that in the last few years we were in Africa.
“So, when you compete in Africa and with the different competition that we have in South Africa, there is some load for the player. But, as I said, 80% of injuries came from contact in the game, not in the training sessions. It’s about contact. It’s bad luck,” Ben Youseff told the journalists.
The Tunisian-born coach further stated that in the past few games, people have been talking about inconsistency in team selection, but it has been due to injuries and suspensions.
“If you see the last few games, some people discuss the inconsistency in the squad, but like today, the two substitutions that we did, it’s Inacio (Miguel) because it’sabout yellow cards and Dillan (Solomons) about injury. So, let me say every week we are forced to make substitution coming fromyellow cards or injuries.
“ButI have to say thank you for the board that we have. Every time one player is not here, there is another player who comes to fulfil the same job. We have a big job, we have a big squad, and everyone is ready here to fight, to continue to play or to keep their position,” Ben Youssef observed.
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Other Amakhosi players on the injury list include Rushwin Dortley,George Matlou, Reeve Frosler, Brandon Petersen and Etiosa Ighodaro, among others.
Kaizer Chiefs’ next game is against TS Galaxy on 12 April at the FNB Stadium from 15h00.
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