The chairman of Black Leopards, Mr David Thidiela, is a worried man. The reason for his frustration is that a number of the team's regular players are currently injured.
The player whose name was the first to appear on the injury list was the overlapping right back, Jonathan King, whose injury dates back to six months ago. Another right back, Marks Munyai, will be out of action for the rest of the season after sustaining a knee injury four months ago. Thidiela revealed that Munyai underwent a second operation last week.
The team's playmaker, Sphelele Ntshangase, will also not be in action for the remaining part of the season. He fractured his right leg in their game against Mbombela United two months ago. The team's utility player, Meshack Maphangule, is nursing a knee injury, which he sustained two weeks ago.
The team's number one goalkeeper, Avhashoni Tshinuna, did not join the team in Cape Town for their league match against Milano United last Friday. He also sustained a mouth injury against Moroka Swallows. As if that was not enough, two more potential players, Andiswa Ndawonde and Khunadi Nkoana, were taken off the pitch on a stretcher in their game against Milano United at the Blue Downs Stadium in Cape Town last Friday.
Mr Thidiela, whose frustration could not be hidden on the phone, admitted that his team is now out of the promotional play-off race after losing 1-2 to Milano United last Friday. He said that he was praying for the recovery of all the injured players before the new season started in the second week of August. Black Leopards still have seven matches to play before the activities for the current season come to an end.