Middendorp: 35 points is a good number

Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp believes there can be no doubt that the Amakhosi have exceeded expectations this season.

Chiefs lead the Absa Premiership standings by a seven-point margin when many felt it might be another season of struggle after they finished ninth last campaign and lost to TS Galaxy in the Nedbank Cup final.

Many had called for Middendorp's head, but the German tactician knows as well as any that he has hit back at the critics in the best possible way, with Chiefs winning 11 of their 14 Absa Premiership matches this season and having accumulated 35 points.

“I think it’s a good number (35 points) - I’m always talking about it. It’s something you try for certain and you always make a prediction, ‘Where will you be on 22 December at six o' clock in the evening?" Middendorp told KickOff.

“Sorry, but which of you guys would have taken a quote that we would be leading by seven points in front of everybody? I don’t think anybody.

“I’m always saying let’s be humble. Let’s be very clear, it’s a hard way, we have to do our basics better - players sometimes still get carried away a little bit, but it’s not unusual.

“We have these games of 45 minutes here, 50 minutes there, sometimes 30 minutes (of good play). Of course, we don’t like to see it, but it’s there.”

The Glamour Boys resume their campaign with a trip to face SuperSport United on Saturday, January 4.