Kaizer Chiefs fans held their breath as Njabulo Blom was stretchered off the field during their recent 4-0 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in a Carling Knockout Cup quarter-final tie.
The midfielder’s match sharpness had already been a cause for concern, and this latest setback seemed to exacerbate the situation.
Blom, who returned to his boyhood club under the stewardship of coach Nasreddine Nabi, has struggled to regain full fitness due to the absence of a pre-season. Despite making three starts and two substitute appearances, his performances have been hampered by physical limitations.
As the stretcher bore him away from the pitch, fears grew among the Amakhosi faithful. However, news has emerged that Blom’s injury was merely a severe cramp, a significant relief for the club and its supporters. The talented midfielder is expected to recover fully and be available for selection when Chiefs face Richards Bay FC on November 27th at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.
Amakhosi are already without Venezuelan midfielder Edson Castillo who is out for about four months. He recently picked up an injury during the Betway Premiership match against SuperSport United.
WHAT LETSHOLONYANE HAS SAID ABOUT NJABULO BLOM
Former Chiefs midfield maestro Reneilwe Letsholonyane believes the Bafana Bafana midfielder hasn’t reached his full potential. “He’s a good player, we have seen what he can do, and he has previously performed well for the team. He has quality,” Letsholonyane told FARPost.
“Personally, I haven’t seen him perform since he returned to the club. I would like to see more from him. He can get there by working extra hard and putting in more effort.
As the 2024/25 Betway Premiership season started in September, Nabi indicated that Blom wasn’t ready to start games.
“Not all the players are ready, especially some of the new ones like Blom. He’s not ready yet and needs more physical preparation,” Nabi said. The Tunisian mentor hopes to see Blom influence games as his fitness levels improve. The 24-year-old has started the last two games against Magesi and Sundowns.
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