Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp has admitted that goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune is still not available for selection despite the club declaring him fit over a week ago.

The Chiefs skipper has hardly featured for the side in the past year after suffering a shoulder injury but made his return in a 2-0 win over AmaZulu in Durban on 24 September‚ only to pick up another injury four days later as he limped off after 28 minutes in his team’s 1-0 win against Baroka FC on 28 September.

However, the Soweto giants announced in the buildup to the TKO semi-final against Maritzburg United that the keeper was fit only for Khune to be left out of the squad for the defeat.

Middendorp has since moved to explain where his skipper is in terms of getting back on the pitch, and it could still be a while.

‘I can give you an example‚’ the coach said.

‘I went – nobody knows – for surgery. A knee operation‚ two weeks ago.

‘Last week I had a meeting with the surgeon‚ and he said‚ “100%‚ medically‚ you are fit.” “But‚” he said‚ “now be careful – step by step‚ building it up.”

‘Medically‚ I am fit. But I’m not in a condition that I can run around and do stuff.

‘And this is the same that happens with certain players. And I’m not happy about it‚ if you pump it into the public. Most of the time when you say someone is ‘medically fit’‚ one piece of this expression is forgotten.

‘If you read‚ “The player is fit” – he’s not. No‚ by far not. He has just come out of a situation‚ joining training‚ putting himself in a good condition to be competitive at a certain time. And at the moment‚ he [Khune] is not.’

The German also admitted that Khune will not be ready for their next league fixture against Bloemfontein Celtic on Saturday evening.

‘I don’t see it coming now‚ with a view to the next game. And that is all that I am interested in‚’ the coach concluded.