Amakhosi assistant coach Frank Eulberg and goalkeeper coach Mannfred Engelmann put players through their paces under the watchful eye of coach Ernst Middendorp at the ABSA Stadium in Durban on Thursday afternoon.

Chiefs were able to hold a practise session at the venue ahead of Saturday’s final in order to get familiar with the surroundings as well as the playing surface. Chiefs held an energy training session at the ABSA Stadium as they followed behind Orlando Pirates who held a training session on the ground earlier on Thursday.

Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp was happy with the team’s preparations, but did not give the playing surface the thumbs up saying “when we played Golden Arrows here during the season the pitch was in a much better condition, at the moment the evenness and bounce is good but the playing surface needs a lot of work before Saturday”.

Chiefs went through various routines and combination play, with the coaches working on various tactical variations in order to spring a surprise or two come game time. Amakhosi took all eventualities into account during Thursday’s practise session.

As Chiefs team bus turned up at the ABSA Stadium, Amakhosi defenders Jimmy Tau and Fabian McCarthy were reunited with old friend, former Springbok rugby player Gqubile Bobo now playing for the Natal Wildebeest.

Bobo himself currently preparing for the Vodacom Cup final against the Falcons on Saturday, wished his old pals the best of luck saying “Jimmy and Fabian need to be strong on Saturday, and play with all their heart like they usually do and Chiefs will win my wishes are with Amakhosi”.

Before being rushed off to the training ground, Fabian McCarthy returned the compliments to Bobo adding “I wish Bobo and his team a successful cup final on Saturday and I hope that they trample all over the Falcons”. Jimmy Tau shared a few words with ace Springbok and thereafter said “Bobo and I used to train together before and he was always a motivator and once again he lifted my spirits by telling me he is confident we can win the Cup final”.

Amakhosi’s session, which lasted just over an hour was held behind closed doors and so will their training sessions on Friday.

Chiefs rounded off their training session with a jog around the ground. The silence was broken as midfielder Thabo Mooki brought out his well memorized joke book much to the amusement of his team mates, going into the final preparation day before the ABSA final.

Amakhosi are in good spirits which bodes well for their chances on Saturday.