It has been just over a week since the players returned to training, after initially undergoing some fitness tests we then commenced regular training. The biokinetist from the University of Johannesburg, who carried out the tests on the players, gave me a detailed report on each player’s results.

Overall there was not much cause for concern as most of the guys came through the tests without any indications that they had fallen behind in any way during the off-season. There are a handful of guys who I have had a word with as their weight is an issue to me, I am certain that they did not follow the training programme I gave them in the off season.

Players are not kids - it is up to them to follow instructions given out to them. The extra exercise regime given to them was for their own benefit and when we returned from the break we would not have a big job ahead of us.

Anyhow it is expected that when you return from such a lengthy break these things are bound to happen and we made contingency plans to work with getting some guys back to real fitness. In the past week we have mainly worked on fitness and getting everybody back in shape, I must compliment the players and say that everyone has buckled down and worked very hard.

From my initial assessments, I must say that we have strong team and some key areas of concern have been patched up and we are heading in the right direction, with our first pre season engagements coming up soon. This weekend we take on Black Leopards in Limpopo and I am hoping we will be able to play two games in the Limpopo Soccer Challenge instead of one game. If we play two games it will give us the opportunity of trying out different combinations, as well as giving more players a run out.

While I am happy with the fact that we have covered most of the positions, I am still looking for extra cover up front and also someone who can play at left back. These are two areas where we were particularly vulnerable last season. We have gone a long way towards sorting out our scoring problems; we still looking for a strong left back. I am still in the hunt for a natural left back, not someone who has been converted to playing with their left foot but a natural left back.

Presently we have a goalkeeper on trial I did mention about him on Monday - we did have injuries to our keepers last season and we needed extra cover.

On the subject of Goalkeepers I would like to welcome Rainer Dinkelacker back as our goalkeeper coach, Rainer parted company with us earlier in the year and we replaced him with Manfred Engelmann who did a good job but left us a few months back.

It was felt that we needed continuity in the goalkeeping departments, so after some consultation it was felt that there would be no one better to help us out than Rainer. He has worked with the keepers at Chiefs for a while so it made sense to bring him back as he also has the respect of the senior goalkeepers at the club and they also mentioned that they enjoy working with him. I am sure Rainer will do his best to ensure that we keep as many clean sheets as possible through the season. Once again I would like to welcome him back.

Our preparation and our focus at the moment is on the Limpopo Tournament that will be taking place in Polokwane this weekend, I hope that many of you who are in the area will come out and support us.

These games also present supporters with the opportunity to see us in action for the first time this season and you will also get to see some of the new players strutting their stuff for the first time with Chiefs.

Once we return from Polokwane we will rest for a day before heading to the Western Cape where our pre season programmes will go into over drive as we then prepare for Manchester United and Orlando Pirates in the Vodacom Challenge.