Posted in News on Aug 22, 2006.
Kaizerchiefs.com spoke to Chiefs’ physiotherapist, David Milner for an update on the injuries currently laying a number of Chiefs players low. Milner was able to confirm that striker Shaun Bartlett passed a fitness test on Tuesday morning “with minimal discomfort” and will be available for selection for Sunday’s game against SuperSport.
Bartlett has for the past ten days been nursing a calf strain he sustained during training in preparation for the Amakhosi’s SAA Supa8 quarterfinal match against Golden Arrows, on the 11th August. Although a Bartlett-less Chiefs were able to defeat Golden Arrows 2-0, coach Ernst Middendorp is pleased to have his big off season signing available for selection.
The Chiefs' coach said of Bartlett’s imminent return “having Shaun back obviously gives us many more options and perhaps there could be the chance for him to possibly stamp his authority on the PSL this weekend”.
Thabo Mooki, who came on against Arrows as a substitute at the start of the second half and was then himself substituted as he picked up a hamstring injury during the game, is not due back in full training for another two weeks.
Defender Ditheko Mototo, who is also out with a hamstring injury he incurred during the Telkom Charity Cup game against Mamelodi Sundowns on 5th August 2006, will sit out this weekend’s game against SuperSport and is also expected to resume training next week. Mototo was able to complete an intensive 90-minute work out in the gym on Tuesday, which demonstrated the progress he has made since limping off injured against Sundowns earlier in the month.
The final injury update for the week surrounds long term lay off Emile Baron, who has been out of action since undergoing after a shoulder operation in May. Baron’s rehabilitation process which has him working out on a daily basis in the gym has seen him make great strides towards full fitness.
Milner has from the start of the week increased the intensity of Baron’s work outs in the gym. Emile himself is pleased with the fact that he is heading in the right direction towards full fitness and says “I am not feeling any pain at the moment, I have good mobility in my shoulder and generally I seem to be responding well to the training” added Baron.
Milner has also been pleased with Baron’s progress commenting “Emile has full movement in his shoulder which is really wonderful news. Based on this we have begun strength training with him in a bid to get him back to full fitness”.
Emile went under the surgeons knife in May, due to the recurrence of an old injury obtained during his playing days in Norway with Lillestroom. The damage to his rotator cuff, a collection of muscles and tendons which hold the shoulder in place and help to control movement of the arm, has been operated on and should see Baron fit and able to play out some time during the course of the season.
