Kaizer Chiefs interim coach Cavin Johnson has revealed that he put his troops through their paces at an unconventional hour on Sunday to address the quick turnaround between games.
Johnson’s men face a gruelling test of their physical and mental fortitude as they return to action in the DStv Premiership just two days after their away match against Cape Town City FC on Saturday.
The Soweto giants’ next challenge is not an easy one and it comes on Tuesday evening [19:30] when they will host in-form Stellenbosch FC at FNB Stadium.
As Chiefs wrapped up preparation for the Stellies game, Johnson spoke about the team’s unique approach to combat the tight schedule challenge.
CHIEFS ADDRESS CHALLENGES OF BACK-TO-BACK GAMES WITH LATE SESSION
“The dynamics have been different. We haven’t had this many back-to-back games since I have been with the team,” said Johnson.
“We returned from Cape Town on Saturday night and had a regeneration session at 2:00 in the morning so as to allow the players to rest all of Sunday, which is the best recovery. Today [Monday], we train, and we’ll be ready for tomorrow [Tuesday].”
Chiefs head into the Stellenbosch match winless in their last two outings. Following a draw against CT City this past weekend, they also fell short against arch-rivals Orlando Pirates before the FIFA international break.
Johnson stressed the importance of improvement after their goalless stalemate at Athlone Stadium. The Amakhosi coach also acknowledged the challenge posed by Stellenbosch FC, who are currently riding a 19-match unbeaten streak.
“We will need to have a better performance than on the weekend,” he added. “They are near the top of the league, and not for no reason.
“They are a very good side, and we’ll have to have all our ducks in a row to compete with them, but they are coming to FNB (stadium), and if we are not aggressive and arrogant on our own home ground, then we won’t get what we are looking for.”
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