Ernst Middendorp to design special programme

Mihlali Baleka|Published

Chiefs assistant coach Shaun Bartlett chats to Ernst Middendorp during their team’s Nedbank Cup match against Tornado at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium on Sunday. BackpagePix Chiefs assistant coach Shaun Bartlett chats to Ernst Middendorp during their team’s Nedbank Cup match against Tornado at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium on Sunday. BackpagePix

Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp is banking on their soon-to-be-implemented “special training programme” to help his striking department be more clinical with their clear-cut chances.

Middendorp’s remarks follow after his team were frustrated by minnows Tornado FC in the last 32 of the Nedbank Cup on Sunday at Sisa Dukashe Stadium. After the match ended 0-0 in regulation time, Tornado FC took the “Cup Kings” of South African football to extra time - only to be let down by their own frailty as an own goal by Abongile Twani ensured the latter progressed to the last 16 of the tournament. Middendorp, who is back at Chiefs to end their three-year trophy drought, is aware that his charges should be rampant upfront if they are to increase their chances of bagging a piece of silverware - courtesy of the two remaining competitions, the Nedbank Cup and PSL.

“My biggest concern at the moment is the finishing from the second line, when we get the cut-back chances because there’s not enough power,” Middendorp said. “In general it is a difficult job to play against a defensive compact team. We had our chances to pull defenders apart, but we didn’t make them count. (But) I am aware of it (the short-comings upfront), and we definitely have to design a programme in training sessions so that we can bring the players into this scenario.”

It was not the performance Chiefs wanted, but they’ll take the result as they now shift their focus to the league. The Glamour Boys will welcome a high-flying Cape Town City team at FNB Stadium tomorrow night, and Middendorp has urged his troops to be at their best. Unlike Chiefs who needed an own goal to progress to the next round of the Nedbank Cup, City beat SuperSport United 2-0 in regulation time on Saturday night. Even more impressive than Saturday’s win was their 5-0 thumping of Free State Stars two weeks ago.

“We definitely have to be at our best,” Middendorp said. “I saw them on Saturday in Cape Town - I was at the stadium - and I had seen them before. I have a very structured way, and can understand what they are capable of. They have a quick transition, and so are their players.”

It was not all gloomy for the Glamour Boys in Mdantsane, as there were positives - as fringe players such as Gustavo Paez, Siphelele Ntshangase, Dumisani Zuma and Bhongolwethu Jayiya returned to action after a long absence. However, it was youngster Happy Mashiane who stole the show on his debut. Mashiane, who was promoted to the first team from the reserves in barely a week, made the starting-up line-up in his usual left wing-back role. He didn’t disappoint, as he fitted in like a seasoned-campaigner with good runs on and off the ball. Moreover, he even received a round of applause from fans when he made way for Zuma in the last 15 minutes of regulation time.

“We saw the potential in him. We said it before, he was in the field not because we want to promote or send a message to the public but he deserved to be there because of his training performance and how he works with the team,” Middendorp said.