Keagan Dolly has been back in training with the Kaizer Chiefs squad over the last few days. | BackpagePix
There was good and bad news for Kaizer Chiefs ahead of Saturday’s DStv Premiership match against Sekhukhune United at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane (8pm kickoff).
The good news is that former Bafana Bafana midfielder Keagan Dolly has recovered from an ankle injury and is ready to lead the Amakhosi attack.
“Keagan is probably 99.9 percent ready to play,” Chiefs interim coach Cavin Johnson declared.
Dolly, who was out for five months with a knee injury earlier in the year, has been on an extensive recovery programme, which included gym work with a fitness trainer.
In the past few days, he has been training with the squad, and it looks like his rehabilitation has been a success.
He’ll lack match fitness, and Johnson is likely to name him on the substitutes’ bench.
More good news is that striker Ashley du Preez, who had a 10-minute stint against Richards Bay last week, has come through unscathed and has shown no ill-effects at training.
He is likely to be named in the run-on XI.
The bad news is that midfielder Sibongiseni Mthethwa, who suffered a freak injury at training last week, is still out of action.
Johnson feels the injury is likely to rule Mthethwa out of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations too.
He was named in Bafana Bafana’s 50-strong preliminary squad, with the final 23-man group set to be announced today by coach Hugo Broos.
The same day Mthethwa picked up the injury, defender Zitha Kwinika joined the injury list.
“With regards to Zitha, someone stamped on his toe at training. It is not a major injury, and he is coming right,” said Johnson.
Since taking over from former coach Molefi Ntseki, Johnson has managed to steady the ship after a shaky start to his tenure.
Under him, Chiefs have won four of their last five league games and have moved up to sixth on the league standings.
They are six points adrift of second-placed SuperSport United, and 11 points behind Premiership leaders Mamelodi Sundowns before the Brazilians’ clash against Moroka Swallows at Loftus Versfeld last night.
Johnson is pleased with the latest Chiefs results.
“You remember when the league started, teams were bullying Chiefs. We need to make sure we get to that level (of bullying), and getting there is major – and it will take us a while to get there,” he said.
“That (the winning sequence) is the cohesion you need to have in the team with the magnitude of Kaizer Chiefs. We need to get there (bullying teams), but to get there is difficult. Like I said, we were bullied at the start of the season.
“Now after three games, maybe the bullying is over. Maybe we going to get more confident, based on what we do on the training pitch.”
Johnson is hoping that Colombian striker Jasond Gonzalez will finally score for Chiefs. The coach feels once he scores, goals will flow freely.
“Gonzalez, please God bless him, so that he can score goals,” said Johnson.
“That’s I ask because (Christian) Saile (DR Congo striker) has broken his duck, and so has Ranga (Chivaviro). Gonzalez hasn’t broken his duck yet.”
@Herman_Gibbs
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