With a matter of days away from the start of a pilot reserve league being planned for all Premier League Teams based in Gauteng, it has emerged that Amakhosi first team assistant coach Frank Eulberg will take charge of the Chiefs team that will be competing in the reserve league.

Eulberg will be assisted by former Kaizer Chiefs midfielder and current development coach Donald ‘Ace’ Khuse, in addition current first team goalkeeper coach Rainer Dinkelacker will also be part of the reserve teams technical staff.

As The Chiefs reserves prepare to face Benoni United away from home in their opening game on Monday, Frank Eulberg took time out to talk to kc.com about the start of the reserve league.

KC.COM: Frank what are your thoughts as the new reserve league comes into being in a few days time?

FE: Well I am happy to be able to have been charged with the responsibility of being in charge of the reserve team, it means a lot to me that the team be successful and fundamentally win the league.

We usually play friendly matches on a Wednesday afternoon where we give the guys who have not being playing regularly, a chance to get some match practise.

The thing is that there is no competitive edge in those friendly games, where as in the reserve league the results are of more significance, which obviously means the guys, will be more determined to win.

KC.COM: Who will decide who turns out for the reserve team each Monday?

FE: I will consult with Ernst Middendorp and he will decide who he thinks needs the extra game time - based on his recommendations I will then inform the necessary players. When it comes to things like the starting eleven and the structure of the team, that will be left up to me and Ace Khuse the coach will give us his input on a regular basis.

KC.COM: What role will Ernst Middendorp play with regards to the reserve team?

FE: Like I mentioned earlier he will make the decision each week as to which players he wishes to see getting a run out for the reserves, he has also indicated that he will be attending the matches.

What we should understand is that the coach has an added interest in the reserve team, because success at this level will mean that he has more on form players to choose for the PSL games.

KC.COM: For players who will be regular features in the reserve team, is there any chance of them getting back into the first team?

FE: The reason that I welcome such a league is because it does just that; open up opportunities for players who have not been on top of their game or guys who have struggled to break into the first team.

Playing for the reserves present any player with the perfect opportunity to be able to play himself back into form, which will obviously open the door up for him to get back into the first team.

This is the platform for all the players who do not feature regularly to come forward and show that they too can deliver the goods in PSL games.

KC.COM: As ‘Ace Khuse’ will be sitting beside you on the bench, due to the fact that he is linked with the Chiefs development programme is there any chance of youth team players being included in the reserve team?

FE: Definitely there has been a consultative process between the coach, myself, Ryder Mofokeng and Ace Khuse and we have told them that we would like to use some of the under nineteen team players in the reserve team.

So they will recommend which players they would like us to use and these players will get the opportunity to assimilate themselves with the kind of competition they will face up to in the PSL.

This league is going to help us bridge the gaps between the youth team players and the first team, as well as with players who are in the first team but have not been regular features.

KC.COM: What level of competition are you expecting to face in the reserve league?

FE: I feel that it is going to be a very competitive league, especially if you take into account the fact that Pirates and Sundowns have big squads, and they have some players who are on the bench match in and match out.

Who could walk into any other team in the PSL, likewise Swallows too have a healthy size squad and can easily put out two teams of quality on any given day.

KC.COM: To end who do you feel will be pose the greatest challenge to Chiefs, going into the reserve league?

FE: I will have to go for the usual suspects of Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns, although I do feel that we do have a strong enough team to be able to challenge strongly for the reserve league title.