Polokwane City coach sweats on injuries for tough trip to Bethlehem

05 March 2019 - 12:06 By Mark Gleeson
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Polokwane City FC coach Jozef Vukusic is flanked by defender Simphiwe Hlongwane (L) and assistant coach Bernard Molekwa in a discussion during the Absa Premiership.
Polokwane City FC coach Jozef Vukusic is flanked by defender Simphiwe Hlongwane (L) and assistant coach Bernard Molekwa in a discussion during the Absa Premiership.
Image: Lefty Shivambu

Both inspirational skipper Jabu Maluleke and hard-working midfielder Sammy Seabi could be missing for Polokwane City’s trip to Free State Stars as they struggle with small injuries.

Coach Jozef Vukusic has said that he does not want to subject the pair to an unnecessary trip.

He will make a final decision on their availability before City leave on a seven-hour bus journey to Bethlehem to take on Stars on Wednesday night.

“It is a tough trip there. Seven hours there‚ seven hours back‚” said Vukusic.

“If you take players there‚ even if only for the bench‚ like Jabu or Seabi‚ you kill them. Firstly‚ they are out of training for three games and secondly they come back tired if they don’t play.

“We must see what we do? We must see whether it makes sense to take players with doubts‚ but like I’ve said I’m not keen to take players that far and then keep them on the bench.

“Plus on Saturday we have a big game against Golden Arrows.

“As far as the game [against Stars] is concerned‚ it’s tough. But then all the games are tough‚” he added.

Polokwane City won for only the second time this year when they beat Baroka FC 3-1 in the Polokwane derby at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday.

Both Maluleke and Seabi came off in the second half‚ as a precautionary measure‚ as they struggled with niggles.

Sunday’s victory moved City back up to seventh place in the standings and they will look to consolidate that in Bethlehem on Wednesday against relegation-threatened‚ second-last-placed Stars.

Vukusic has already made it clear a top eight place is on his agenda.

“From the first moment to the last‚ our target is top eight‚” he said.

“I said it at the start of the season and I said it again after we lost our opening two games. No one believed me then.”

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