Confident Chiefs coach Middendorp backs striker Kambole to find scoring boots

Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp is confident that misfiring Zambian international striker Lazalous Kambole will ultimately deliver the goods for the club.

The 26-year-old Kambole‚ who joined Amakhosi amid much fanfare in July last year‚ has struggled to find his footing in South African football and is yet to find the back of the net after 12 matches in all competitions.

His struggles have not come at a huge cost for the club as strikers Samir Nurković and Leonardo Castro have been banging in the goals for the Absa Premiership leaders.

“We all know what a good player Lazalous Kambole is and we are working hard to have him show his full potential.

"What is important now is that we all want to become better. That is the understanding of the team and everybody is making a contribution to achieve that‚” said Middendorp.

The German mentor also praised the Chiefs management for the support they have given the technical staff this season.

“We are in a good position‚ thanks to our management. For example‚ we were able to bring on board an external stimulus in the form of diversity training.

"That’s where players can express their own fears without coaches interrupting their expressions‚” he said‚ adding that players have responded professionally.

“Just to see their body language is pleasing. This is what we worked on from the moment we went into the pre-season camp.

"We introduced a listening method‚ it’s a way of listening to the input of players‚ through discussions‚ to help us guide the way forward.”

Middendorp said the coronovirus-enforced break has given him enough time to assess the performance of the team since the season started.

“Covid-19 has provided me with enough time to assess the past eight months of the current season.

"It is about the ongoing assessment of individual players‚ their performances and profiling. I have had time to go through the details of every individual player.

“I’ve also had time to look at what worked so far this season and what we need to do differently going forward.

"I am using this information to make individual reports on each player.

"I am furthermore looking at what can be done differently‚ both as an individual player and as a team.

"It’s all about spending my time at home productively.

"Overall‚ I try to stay alert‚ as we can be called back to the training field at any time. It is therefore essential to stay on top and be ready.”