Middendorp annoyed by Khune's medical update

Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp says he is frustrated that the medical team gave the all clear for Itumeleng Khune to return to action.

Middendorp stated last week that Khune wouldn't be available for selection ahead of the Telkom Knockout semi-final against Maritzburg United, which Chiefs went on to lose, but a day after the coach's statement Chiefs' media department contradicted him and declared the goalkeeper as fully fit.

The German tactician has grown irritated by this and insists there is a big difference between being fully recovered from an injury and being fully fit to play.

"Let me give you an example, I went for surgery - nobody knows; a knee operation. Okay, that was now last Tuesday - 14 days ago," said Middendorp, according to KickOff.

"Excellent work done; I had now, after two weeks, a final meeting with the specialist on Monday and he said, '100%, medically you're fit.'

"But, he said, 'Now, be careful. Step by step, building it up. Don't turn around; don't kick the ball. Just be careful step by step.'

"Medically I'm fit, but not in a way that I can run around and do stuff. This is the same thing that has happened with certain players.

"I know, it's really something I'm not happy about [the club] pumping it into the public. Most of the time this 'medically fit' piece of expression is forgotten.

"If you read it, 'the player is fit', but he's not - by far. He comes just out of a situation where he joined the training and put himself in a physically good condition to be competitive at a certain time, and in the moment he is not.

"I don't see it coming now with a view to the next game, and that is the only thing I'm interested in."

- TeamTalk Media