With just over two days left in 2006 most people around South Africa would be looking towards winding down their summer holidays, using the new years celebrations later this weekend as the last hurrah for their holidays. Once the new year has rung in many people begin their travels home as their holidays come to an end, with most kids dreading the fact the new year school year is almost upon them. While many people will be cherishing the remaining few days they have left of their holidays, and will try and use every last moment to soak up the sun on the beach.

As the New Years Eve creeps upon us and many people begin to make their new years resolutions, there is a group of guys who have already set out their plans for the New Year. They have turned their focus away from the holidays and on Friday began the first step in achieving their set objective for the New Year, the group in question are the Kaizer Chiefs first team. Who returned to duty on Friday afternoon for their first training session, since going on leave some eight days ago.

Ernst Middendorp had his full team at training on Friday afternoon as the Chiefs players returned from a week’s holiday to begin preparing, for their January fixtures which sees Chiefs playing five games in the first four weeks of 2007.

After a few jokes were shared and a number of festive tales were bandied about when the team regrouped on Friday, it was back to work for Chiefs as they set out to launch a serious bid for the title when they play their first game of the new year against SuperSport United on the 6th January. Amakhosi defender Patrick Mayo who spent the Christmas holidays with his family, in his birth town of Zwide outside of Port Elizabeth in the Eastern Cape. Is looking ahead with youthful excitement towards getting training and preparation work, for what will be a busy January for The Amakhosi off the ground.

“If we had a few more days off I would not have had a problem with that also having to come back on Friday is still okay with me, after a week away you do begin to getting that itchy feeling. The prospect of playing the likes of SuperSport United and Silver Stars early on in the new year is definitely one that we are all looking forward to” said Mayo.

Ernst Middendorp was further buoyed by the fact that his entire staff compliment had turned up for training on Friday, without any injury concerns barring the likes of Derrick Spencer and Itumeleng Khune who went into the Christmas break carrying injuries. The Chiefs coach added “it is good to have every one back on time, I was concerned about whether our foreign based players would be able to get back as per the schedule. I am grateful that all the guys are back and that we do not have any injury or fatigue problems”.

The Amakhosi will be busy over the rest of the weekend as they will be training again on Saturday and Sunday but will be given the day off on new years day off, before returning on Tuesday to continue with preparations for their first game of 2007 against SuperSport United on the 6th of January.