Middendorp says Kaizer Chiefs have a rare full-strength squad for cup final

Kaizer Chiefs have a rare full-strength squad available for Saturday’s season-ending Nedbank Cup final against First Division TS Galaxy at Moses Mabhida Stadium‚ Amakhosi coach Ernst Middendorp has claimed.

Middendorp said it was a full-strength dressing-room.

That statement‚ however‚ would appear not to take into account players making returns from long-term injuries such as young attacker Happy Mashiane and No 1 goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune‚ who have no match practise and seem highly unlikely to make the match 18.

Middendorp said that at Chiefs‚ in the week building up to a cup final or a Soweto derby‚ it can be hard to find a player on the injury list.

“I think in every camp‚ in particular here‚ the experience is that when you play a derby against Orlando Pirates‚ or you play a cup final‚ there are no absences in terms of injuries‚ in terms of anything else‚” the coach said.

“Everybody is available. No issues. No nothing – flu‚ nothing‚ everybody.

“The entire squad‚ as I said‚ before the week you go to a cup final or play a derby‚ or the bigger games‚ everybody is available.”

Middendorp’s statement did not appear to include another young attacker‚ Nkosingiphile Ngcobo‚ whose long-term Achilles tendon injury is supposed to rule the player out until July or August.