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Tinkler excited by Buchanan return

Cape Town - Maritzburg United coach Eric Tinkler is backing Keagan Buchanan to help fill the void left by the departures of two key midfielders to Orlando Pirates.

Fortune Makaringe and Siphesihle Ndlovu both recently joined the Buccanneers', something which Tinkler has admitted is a massive blow for the Team of Choice.

Buchanan was forced to watch most of last season from the side-lines, having torn his anterior cruciate ligaments back in September of last year.

But while Tinkler admits he is not fighting fit as of yet, he believes that Buchanan along with new signing Phumlani Ntshangase from Wits have all the attributes to fill the void left by Makaringe and Ndlovu's departures.

“Keagan is back. He’s a very good ball player and a good box-to-box midfielder. So that’s what we hope he will provide for us,” Tinkler told KickOff.

“But he’s been down [since his knee surgery last year] for quite a while, so it’s about getting him fit again.

“There’s also going to be that fear [of getting injured again], and he has to overcome the psychological thing.

“I think Keagan’s got a strong-willed character though, so I think he’ll be fine."

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