Ex-Orlando Pirates striker Kermit Erasmus defends former Mamelodi Sundowns teammate Gaston Sirino after allegations of faking injuries and refusing to train at Kaizer Chiefs - 'He loves being his own human being, one of the smartest players'

Gaston Sirino was said to be refusing to train and faking injuries, allegations Kaizer Chiefs have responded to.

A sports lawyer even hinted at possible contract termination if this was proved to be a breach of the deal between Amakhosi and the player.

Kermit Erasmus, a former teammate of Sirino at Mamelodi Sundowns, has come in to defend the Uruguayan, speaking glowingly about him.

“Sirino is a great guy; he works hard in training, and he loves being his own human being," said Erasmus as per FARPost.

"He can be very playful off the field. I’ve never had any problems or issues with him while I was playing with him at Sundowns.

“You can see the impact he has as a player; when he’s in the mood, he brings his A-game," added the ex-Orlando Pirates star.

"He still struggles with English, but when I play with him, we’ll communicate without even speaking to each other. 

"That just shows you the football brains he has. If you are not alert around him, he might pass you the ball without you expecting, and you’ll look bad. 

“So he’s one of the smartest players, he’s unpredictable, and you must always be ready as an attacking player when he has the ball.”

Despite the reports of misconduct, Sirino appears to still have the trust of coach Nasreddine Nabi.

Sirino has featured in two games since Chiefs travelled to Ggqeberha for the Home of Legends Cup, a tournament he was alleged to have refused to participate in.

However, he is struggling to return to the form he showed at the start of the season when he was promising to become Amakhosi's best performer this season.

Amakhosi visit TS Galaxy for their next Premier Soccer League match on Monday and it remains to be seen if Sirino will start that match.

It is a match the Soweto giants are pressed to win, having managed just one victory in their last five league outings.