The club's boss Kaizer Motaung, who welcomed midfielder Pule

back to the side after a six-week spell at a Johannesburg clinic,

stunned soccer scribes on Tuesday when he revealed that defender

Isaac Mabotsa had confessed to having drinking problems.

Addressing the media at the Chiefs' headquarters in Naturena,

south of Johannesburg, Motaung said Mabotsa will also go the same

route as his team-mate.

Pule was housed at the Musician Artist Assistance Programme of

South Africa (MAAPSA) centre run by legendary singer and confessed

former drug addict Hugh Masekela.

The centre has also helped several other top name personalities

such as Tshepo Tshola (popularly known as the Village Pope),

maskandi female singer Busi Mhlongo, Brenda Fassie and Kabelo

Mabalane of famous kwaito group TKZee.

Pule shut the door on his international career by going AWOL

prior to Bafana Bafana's African Nations Cup qualifier against

Ivory Coast last month just before it was found out he had the

problem.

The skilful ball-juggler, who used to mesmerise defenders, still

looked sick but said he was positive about his future.

"I want to thank Kaizer Motaung and all the management at Chiefs

for all their support," he said.

The 2002 World Cup participant told scribes that he missed

playing football that he almost deserted from the programme to join

his club.

Head counsellor Janine Lewis made it clear that Pule would still

be on the programme, but she was nonetheless optimistic that the

player, who showed positiveness in the treatment, would be fine.

Chiefs coach Mushin Ertugral said his player, who missed a plane

to France where he was linked with Olympique Marseille, will be

selected to play for AmaKhosi only after he regained his usual

level of fitness.