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Cape Town - Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp believes scrutinised goalkeeper Bruce Bvuma is the likely heir to the club’s first-choice goalkeeper, Itumeleng Khune.
Chiefs currently have six goalkeepers registered with the first team which hasn't had a clear pecking order since Khune was ruled out with a shoulder injury in mid-December 2018.
As it happened Khune's injury coincided with Middendorp's return to Chiefs as coach and the German initially entrusted Namibian Virgil Vries as stand-in, with Bvuma on the bench.
However, following high-profile errors against Mamelodi Sundowns and Cape Town City (both matches which were lost), Amakhosi hurriedly signed Daniel Akpeyi from Chippa United on transfer deadline day - and promoted 16-year-old Karabo Molefe to join Brylon Petersen among the sextet.
Two days later, Akpeyi (32) was thrust into action in the drawn Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates ahead of Bvuma (23).
"We’ve seen that Bruce can provide. At the time before the Derby, it was not the right time [to throw him in]," explained Middendorp after that 1-1 match.
Akpeyi was then forced to miss the Nedbank Cup Last 16 clash against The Magic as he was cup-tied.
Bvuma played in that clash, only his second appearance of the season, but then returned to the bench for the two Absa Premiership clashes which followed - against Polokwane City and Highlands Park.
Mindful of Chiefs' upcoming Nedbank Cup quarter-final against Cape Town City at the end of March, Middendorp then handed Bvuma the goalkeeping responsibility against Maritzburg United over the past weekend and intends to do so against SuperSport United on Friday at Lucas Moripe Stadium (20:00).
"I think if there’s anybody actually [getting recognition] here in South Africa for not being shy to bring in young players, I should be one of the five candidates," Middendorp told KickOff website after the vital 1-0 win over Maritzburg United.
"But the decision to throw him in and probably destroy him [against Orlando Pirates] was not right. Now, he has a little more of a clear settlement and he’s a goalkeeper who can certainly be number-one in the next two or three years, there’s no doubt about it."
