Kaizer Chiefs went into the FIFA break after suffering two consecutive losses, to SuperSport United and Mamelodi Sundowns, which is why many felt Amakhosi should have played one more match before the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Despite not playing during the climax of the Carling Knockout tournament, defender Rushwin Dortley and head coach Nasreddine Nabi discussed the positives for Chiefs to reflect on where they are as a team.
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Speaking to the media during an open day ahead of their Betway Premiership league game at home against Richards Bay on Wednesday, Nabi shared that the break allowed them to assess players who haven't been playing, as well as those returning from injuries.
"We are happy for the FIFA break. We participated in the Cup. We had maximum time and attention to the players who were coming back from injury and we saw good reactions from the players like (Sibongiseni Mthethwa) Ox, (Nkosingiphile) Ngcobo and (Pule) Mmodi. I think we used the FIFA break to our advantage and it worked for us. There were good results and we are going to Polokwane with a big morale and with respect for the opponents," Nabi said.
The coach added that despite winning the Home of Legends Cup against Mamelodi Sundowns, they are focused on where they are in the PSL and are building a strong squad for the future, as the short term results will come in due course.
Meanwhile, Dortley discussed how the season's starts and stops are not disturbing their momentum.
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"We are preparing no matter what. The coaches have a plan. We come here everyday to train. To do the right things even if we are playing or not, we still prepare as if we have a game on the weekend and we will play friendlies. Luckily for me I go to the national team and I have competitive games. But as for the team and the club, they make sure that they do the right things. So, the two weeks stop and start is not a problem for us. Now our focus is on the two games against Richards Bay and Royal AM which we will play this week in Polokwane and we are ready and prepared for those games," Dortley said.
The Bafana Bafana defender added that playing alongside Inacio Miguel at Chiefs and various different defenders at Bafana Bafana is helping him grow as a player.
"Playing at Chiefs with (Inacio) Miguel is helping me a lot at club level. We learn from each other and I am learning a lot more from him because of his experience. As for Bafana Bafana, I play with senior players who have been there for a long time. You see how they do things. And I just steal with the eye and that helps your game to improve and get motivated to get better," Dortley observed.
