Gavin Hunt, the coach of Amakhosi, has hinted that he will have to shuffle his line-up for Chiefs’ DStv Premiership match against Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila FC this afternoon at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. Hunt expects to make adjustments for Chiefs’ crucial clash in the Limpopo Province, as Amakhosi continue their quest for a top-eight finish, with games coming at such a fast pace and injuries beginning to set in.
Hunt, who has coached in the top flight for nearly 900 games in all competitions, is worried about his team’s upcoming travel schedule. He says, “The team is in good spirits.” “We are excited for this evening’s game against TTM. We’ve had a lot of up and down travel for all of the games, but we’ve had a lot of fun. We’re in this industry because we want to play football.”
With the Chiefs on the move, Hunt isn’t worried about his squad adapting to various playing conditions, as they’ve already visited Gauteng, the Free State, and Limpopo in less than a week. “The conditions are pretty much the same in Joburg, Bloemfontein, and Polokwane,” he says. “Winter is here, and it’s getting a little bit colder. In Polokwane you normally get very warm days but it’s going to be a reasonably mild day this afternoon.”
Although the playing conditions could be similar to those of the last few venues where Chiefs have played, the Chiefs’ line-up will be different today, with Amakhosi nursing injuries. Other choices would have to be drafted by the Chiefs’ coach for the match.
He confirms, “The line-up has to change.” “When you play a lot of games, people get hurt and suspended. It’s only normal for players to get hurt, so we’ve got a few issues. We’ll have to use the team, and we have complete confidence in everyone who steps in. We need to be upbeat and have fun.” clash
He believes his team has the potential and ambition to boost their log standings, and he wants to avoid a repeat of Saturday’s 2-2 draw against Bloemfontein Celtic, in which Chiefs went up 2-0 early only to lose their lead and draw.
The coach is hopeful things will go better against TTM and thanked all the Amakhosi faithful for the support.
The game will be live on SuperSport Channel 202 on DStv at 17:00.
