‘Shinga is ready, he received his card to play but still has fitness to work on,’ said the Chiefs assistant coach.
Kaizer Chiefs assistant coach Khalil Ben Youssef has explained exactly why new signings Flavio Da Silva, Ethan Chislett and Nkanyiso Shinga are still yet to play an official game for Amakhosi this season.
Chiefs’ players are clear to play
The trio were all heavily involved in pre-season, but have not featured in any of Chiefs’ first three Betway Premiership matches of the campaign.
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All three, it emerges, do now have their papers in order, and could yet be available for Wednesday’s Premiership showdown with Mamelodi Sundowns.
“Shinga is ready, he received his card to play but still has fitness to work on,” said Ben Youssef on Tuesday, after Chiefs had beaten Richards Bay 1-0 to make it three wins out of three.
“Silva received his card yesterday, but it was late for us. We had already made our plan for this game.
“Ethan was sick last week, he had no training sessions. But he is ready to play.”
Chiefs introduced three more signings to the crowd at half time at FNB Stadium against the Natal Rich Boyz. Winger Asanele Velebayi, striker Etiosa Ighodaro and forward Luke Baartman have all now been announced by the club.
Ben Youssef said that he did not know who Velebayi was at the pre-match press conference this week. But this time he appeared to have done his research.
“We have seen the quality of these players, we need these kinds of players,” he said.
“They must come and fight to take their position at Chiefs. It is very tough to be in this team. The mentality of the player has to be that they … fight to help the team.”
Nabi on the way back to SA?
Chiefs are hopeful, meanwhile, that they will have head coach Nasreddine Nabi back in the country in time for the game against Sundowns at FNB Stadium.
“Nabi will be with us I hope this week to prepare for the next game against Sundowns,” added Ben Youssef.
Nabi had to head home to Tunisia before the start of the season after his wife was involved in a serious car accident.
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Ben Youssef, along with Chiefs’ other assistant coach Cedric Kaze, has been in charge in Nabi’s absence.