Kaizer Chiefs are in danger of facing Orlando Pirates without three trusted stars, but Ernst Middendorp has been advised why he needs to risk them.
The Chiefs coach is faced with a tricky situation going into this weekend's Nedbank Cup fixture against Highlands Park as Lebogang Manyama, Daniel Cardoso and Reeve Frosler are in danger of missing next week's Soweto Derby against the Buccaneers if they pick up bookings.
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But club legend Patrick Mabedi, who served as the club's assistant coach during Steve Komphela and Giovanni Solinas' tenures, says the club's drought doesn't allow the German to choose games.
"Ei, it's a tricky one my man. In football sometimes that's why they always say you have to take risks, otherwise you succeed or you don't succeed," Mabedi tells snl24.com/kickoff.
"Because sometimes changing and chopping it will cost us, because also every game is very important. So that's the only thing I can point to because in this situation all players are important and the team they are also in a drought for long.
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"The business of football, everything is important. Look, when last... Chiefs won the cup a long time ago so they need silverware. And also this league is so important so you can't say 'no as a professional team we don't want this, we want want this' you need to win every time. So it's very important.
"Look, I know they have a plan to win silverware, so if you look at silverware you are talking about a cup, you are talking about also the league. Both are important. Both together are very important and they need to be achieved.
"As a coach I will have to take a risk because like I said I'm in drought, I need a cup, I need also a league.
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"But it's a different approach and different opinion from different thinking of the coaches. But my opinion is it's all about disciplining the players as well. You have to talk to them, anything can happen you know.
"But it's very important also for the team to win this Nedbank Cup. Highlands Park is a good team hey. And remember they've been beaten so many times, also they want revenge, so it's tricky... it's a physical team also, so another problem."
Another former Chiefs defender David Kannemeyer, who is coaching Nova Nacional in the SAB League, echoed the Malawian's words.
"For me they must play. If they don't get the cards now they will get it the next game. So the most important game is this weekend."
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