Kaizer Chiefs legend Shane McGregor doesn't see Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana's injury as a blow for Amakhosi, favouring Keagan Dolly to be deployed as a false No.9 rather than throwing youngsters like Mduduzi Shabalala and Wandile Duba at the deep end.
Yesterday, SABC reported that Bimenyimana, who's already netted six goals this season, had suffered a thigh injury that will sideline him for a month. The lanky striker's unavailability leaves Chiefs with Ashley du Preez as the only tried and tested strike option. Interestingly, Du Preez has been mainly playing as a winger with Bimenyimana the lone outlet for the Soweto club this season.
McGregor's view is that Bimenyimana hasn't made much of an impact that his absence could trigger a crisis, questioning the striker's ability to convert chances in open-play as he scored four of his six league goals from the spot. The 58-year-old retired marksman wants Dolly to spearhead Chiefs' attack in Bimenyimana's absence, shooting down the option of going with Shabalala and Duba.
"Is Caleb a striker who can score 20 goals a season from open-play? Even with him, you still have the same scoring problem. How many chances did he miss at the weekend against Chippa? Too many. Chiefs don't have a proven scorer even with Caleb, so you can't say his injury is a blow because anyone can take penalties,'' McGregor told Sowetan yesterday.
"If the youngsters [in Shabalala and Duba] were good enough, surely they would have played many games already. Why wait for someone to get injured to play the youngsters? Chiefs don't have players... it's a catch-22 situation. My personal opinion is that they should go with Dolly as a false striker because he's their best player... he's everywhere and always wanting to play."
Shabalala already boasts a goal this season, having scored when he made a cameo in their 3-1 win over Maritzburg United early this season. The 18-year-old striker has not played since then, with talks being that he's doing his matric and the club don't want to disturb his studies. Duba, who's also 18, has been netting goals for fun in the Diski Challenge.
Bimenyimana will not only miss tonight's league match against TS Galaxy at FNB Stadium but he will also sit out Sunday's MTN8 semifinal second leg away to AmaZulu and the Soweto derby against Orlando Pirates on October 29.
'Caleb injury no blow as he misses too many chances'
Burundian being sidelined could be a blessing for Chiefs: McGregor
Image: Darren Stewart
Kaizer Chiefs legend Shane McGregor doesn't see Bonfils-Caleb Bimenyimana's injury as a blow for Amakhosi, favouring Keagan Dolly to be deployed as a false No.9 rather than throwing youngsters like Mduduzi Shabalala and Wandile Duba at the deep end.
Yesterday, SABC reported that Bimenyimana, who's already netted six goals this season, had suffered a thigh injury that will sideline him for a month. The lanky striker's unavailability leaves Chiefs with Ashley du Preez as the only tried and tested strike option. Interestingly, Du Preez has been mainly playing as a winger with Bimenyimana the lone outlet for the Soweto club this season.
McGregor's view is that Bimenyimana hasn't made much of an impact that his absence could trigger a crisis, questioning the striker's ability to convert chances in open-play as he scored four of his six league goals from the spot. The 58-year-old retired marksman wants Dolly to spearhead Chiefs' attack in Bimenyimana's absence, shooting down the option of going with Shabalala and Duba.
"Is Caleb a striker who can score 20 goals a season from open-play? Even with him, you still have the same scoring problem. How many chances did he miss at the weekend against Chippa? Too many. Chiefs don't have a proven scorer even with Caleb, so you can't say his injury is a blow because anyone can take penalties,'' McGregor told Sowetan yesterday.
"If the youngsters [in Shabalala and Duba] were good enough, surely they would have played many games already. Why wait for someone to get injured to play the youngsters? Chiefs don't have players... it's a catch-22 situation. My personal opinion is that they should go with Dolly as a false striker because he's their best player... he's everywhere and always wanting to play."
Shabalala already boasts a goal this season, having scored when he made a cameo in their 3-1 win over Maritzburg United early this season. The 18-year-old striker has not played since then, with talks being that he's doing his matric and the club don't want to disturb his studies. Duba, who's also 18, has been netting goals for fun in the Diski Challenge.
Bimenyimana will not only miss tonight's league match against TS Galaxy at FNB Stadium but he will also sit out Sunday's MTN8 semifinal second leg away to AmaZulu and the Soweto derby against Orlando Pirates on October 29.
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