Xulu too experienced to be hurt by substitution against Chiefs
Maritzburg United defender Siyanda Xulu found himself in a situation that would be embarrassing to some when he was substituted at half time against his former team Kaizer Chiefs.
Siyanda Xulu (Photo by Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
It is well known that every player looks to make an impression when they play against teams who discarded them without being given a proper chance to prove themselves.
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But the 28-year-old said it didn’t hurt him at all that he was withdrawn after just 45 minutes where Maritzburg had to survive a barrage of attacks from Amakhosi.
“I am too experienced for that,” he said when asked if it hurt him. “And being the only player who had just come from injury I had to be sacrificed. The coach explained to me very well why he needed to do that. We have a good relationship with the coach and I didn’t take it personally,” he added.
The Blue Hearts’ coach Eric Tinkler also explained the situation in the post-match media conference admitting he had got his tactics wrong.
“I take the blame for it. I tried something new which the players perhaps didn’t understand and in the last 10 minutes of the first half we tried to get back to our normal formation with Siyanda forming part of the back three.
“But at half time I explained to him why I had to take him off…” said Tinkler.
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