Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp reluctant to let Hendrick Ekstein go
Late bloomer has turned into a high-quality player and advice from Chiefs coach is that he should stick around
Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp has urged Hendrick Ekstein not to make a rash decision to go elsewhere when the talented but enigmatic midfielder has finally found a coach who believes in him. Ekstein has been in contract renewal negotiations since January. Middendorp said it would be sad if the midfielder — so flawed after coming through the youth ranks very late at 24 in 2015‚ and finally playing better-structured football under Amakhosi’s coach at 28 — were to make a decision to leave Naturena. Last Saturday Ekstein produced one of his most complete performances in a Chiefs jersey‚ scoring their opener in the 30th minute‚ in Amakhosi’s dynamic 2-0 Nedbank Cup defeat of Cape Town City at Mbombela Stadium. It said something of the relationship between the two‚ and the direction Middendorp has brought to Ekstein’s game‚ that when the midfielder was taken off in the 76th minute, he was embraced by the coach. Middendorp admitted on Thursday that he too once was sceptical of Ekste...
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