David Mathebula was back on the training ground on Thursday morning, but for those optimistic ones reading this thinking that the speedy midfielder had made a miraculous recovery from a metatarsal injury that he picked during Chiefs goalless draw with SuperSport united on Sunday, that really is not the case.

Mathebula hobbled around the training ground on crutches as well as a special leg brace to support his right leg as he made his way to the set where the official Amakhosi team picture was being shot for the 2007-08 season. On Wednesday Mathebula under went what the Chiefs medical team have described as a successful operation to repair his damaged metatarsal in his right foot, he is expected to be out of action for the next three months.

Mathebula Relieved

A more relaxed looking David Mathebula joked about with his team mates on Thursday morning, prior to the Chiefs team picture being taken and once the picture was done, Mathebula took his place in the stands and watched the physical trainer put his mates through a number of strenuous routines.

Mathebula told kaizerchiefs.com on Thursday that he was glad to have the first part of his road to recovery behind him.

“I was concerned about how the operation would go, and thankfully it was a painless experience and now I can begin to look forward to the next phase of my recovery.”

The medical team who worked on Mathebula are not new to Chiefs players, and it made all the difference for Mathebula that the team working on him had the experience of having operated on a number of Chiefs players in the past.

“It was very reassuring to know that the team who conducted the operation on me came highly recommended by our club medical staff, and the fact that a few of the guys had gone under the knife with the same guys put me at ease.”

Milner positive outcome

Chiefs team physiotherapist David Milner told kaizerchiefs.com that the clubs medical team were happy with the way David’s operation went, and that a successful operation is the first step towards Mathebula's full recovery from the injury he picked up against SuperSport this past weekend.

Milner also updated kaizerchiefs.com on the rest of the Chiefs casualties and added: “One of the new injuries we have is Thabo Mooki. He has a hamstring problem and expect him to be out of action for around six weeks. Tshepo Bulu is making steady progress and his rehabilitation process from the Achilles tendon injury that befell him in the middle of August will move a step up, when he begins training in the gym from the start of next week.”