Kaizer Chiefs coach Middendorp in a spin about Amakhosi yellow cards

Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp questioned why everyone was talking about the possibility of Kaizer Chiefs players being suspended well ahead of their 1-1 draw with Stellenbosch FC on Sunday evening.

READ MORE: Chiefs stifled again in Stellies draw.

“I was quite interested when I heard about how many players of Kaizer Chiefs are on yellow
cards. I don’t know if it was just by accident I have never seen it highlighted so much before,”
said Middendorp after Sunday’s game, in a slightly bizarre interview.

Amakhosi had three core players sitting on three yellow cards and getting one more in the Stellies game would have meant they would be out for their next match, which happens to be against their biggest title rivals, Mamelodi Sundowns on Thursday.

Middendorp left out Erick Mathoho from his match day squad, in a move seen as a way to
protect him for the Sundowsn showdown. He also started influential striker Samir Nurkovic on
the bench, while he did risk Willard Katsande.

But an injury to Leonardo Castro early in the first half forced him to play Nurkovic. The Serbian
goal poacher received a yellow card towards the end of the game, ruling him out of the Masandawana clash.

“I don’t know how it is an issue of the … news starting in morning until the end (of the game).
And now Samir Nurkovic got a yellow card in the final minutes. It was a simple one against one
situation in the final minutes. It’s a bit of, I don’t know… was it an accident?,” mused the
Amakhosi mentor.

He did, however say that Chiefs would simply have handle the situation, which could leave them without three of their most influential attackers on Thursday, with Nurkovic suspended and Lebo Manyama and Leonardo Castro injury worries.

“It happened and we take it, and we will deal with it. But it is interesting to see that this process
starts being discussed in the morning,” added Middendorp.

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