Chiefs Diski coach Khumalo welcomes back suspended players

With the DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) making a return, Kaizer Chiefs coach Vela Khumalo will be welcoming back some of the players who were suspended by the club.

Mfundo Vilakazi makes a return as well after taking a break to focus on exams towards the end of last year.

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Khumalo revealed that four players out of the six that were suspended have been training with the team and are available for selection ahead of the restart of the DDC, when they take on Chippa United at Tsakane Stadium on Saturday.

The six players – Puso Dithejane, Omega Mdaka, Donay Jansen, Ntandeyenkosi Nkosi, Siyabonga Gumede, and Lungile Nkosi – made headlines last year, when they were reported to have been suspended after declining to be ball retrievers in a one of the Amakhosi first teams’ DStv Premiership matches.

Dithejane and Mdaka have since left the club, with Dithejane signing for TS Galaxy, while Mdaka was reported to have been training with AmaZulu FC last year.

“We have all the players available ahead of this match and that has made our preparations smooth. Four of the six that were suspended are back and also Mfundo Vilakazi who missed most of the matches due to exams is back and available for selection,” Khumalo told SuperSport.com.

A Setback

Khumalo admitted that the suspension was a setback for them as they were among the contenders for the DDC championship title, but they ended up dropping many points. The Chiefs youngsters are currently in position five on the log with 20 points after 12 games, seven points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.

“The suspension of the players did affect us that is no secret but now we will try to compete to our level best. We could have done so much better in the past 12 games, but now we have a chance to try and do better in the remaining games. It is not all over,” he said.

“We have to grind for results in the second round starting with the Chippa game. The players know what is expected from them and they will not disappoint.”

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DDC Fixtures:

Saturday
Kaizer Chiefs v Chippa United
SuperSport United v Stellenbosch FC
Sunday
Cape Town Spurs v Richards Bay
Cape Town City v Golden Arrows
AmaZulu FC v Royal AM
Moroka Swallows FC v Sekhukhune United
TS Galaxy v Polokwane City
Orlando Pirates v Mamelodi Sundowns