Kaizer Chiefs coach Steve Komphela admits that he has been cautious with the treatment of his players as he looks to get the best from his injury-plagued squad.

The Soweto giants have a number of casualties with the likes of Lorenzo Gordinho, Teenage Hadebe, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Tsepo Masilela and Kgosto Moleko all absent through injury.

This has placed added pressure on the currently available players, with the more senior members of the squad needing to be carefully managed.

‘It’s a bit hectic, which is why I thought we would have wrapped up the match in time so we can give them a bit of a break,’ he said after the draw against Polokwane City.

‘Last week we gave Parker less 20 minutes, ‘Shabba’ less 20 minutes. I thought I would cut miles on their legs.

‘Today I couldn’t. It was also psychological to say, let’s just bring Shabba out. As if, you know how it is, it’s all in the mind. But still he played something like 90 [minutes], Parker the same.

‘And you could see [Joseph] Molangoane as well, he’s putting a lot in his legs. Philani Zulu as well. We are just praying and our numbers are not as complimentary, we are very few.

‘We will have to go back, regroup and prepare ourselves for East London [PE],’ he concluded.

Photo: Sydney Mahlangu /BackpagePix

-This story originally appeared on SportsClub.co.za