Kaizer Chiefs midfielder George Maluleka is excited about the prospects of his team’s bright start this season.
Kaizer Chiefs midfielder George Maluleka is excited about the prospects of his team’s bright start this season, crossing fingers that it lives to the lofty billing of the 2014/15 season.
Rewind four-and-a-half seasons ago, and Chiefs were crowned the Premiership champions for the second time in three seasons, thanks to the guidance of coach Stuart Baxter. That season Baxter scooped monthly individual awards, while his team grabbed a chunk of the Quarterly Innovation recognitions.
Summit
Now Ernst Middendorp has guided Amakhosi to the summit of the Premiership in 12 matches with 31 points, 10 ahead of second-placed SuperSport United.
The German won the first two Coach of the Month awards, while his team was recently crowned the Q1-Innovation winners.
Maluleka is hoping their fine start could set the tone for the rest of their season.
“There’s been a lot of similarities to the 2014/2015 season. There’s been a couple of similar results where we won 1-0 or 2-1, very close ones but we’ve been able to contain the opponents. Clean sheets have been important, and they say defenders win you championships, and so far, so good.”
Chiefs welcome Bloemfontein Celtic to the Moses Mabhida Stadium tomorrow night (8.15pm).
“They are playing very good football at the moment, and they have ways of trying to destabilise their opponents, so it will be very difficult to contain them,” said Maluleka.
