Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp has explained his decision to hand Siphelele Ntshangase his first start of the season.
Ntshangase had not been in Middendorp's plans for the campaign until he recently signed a new one-year deal and the German mentor feels the midfielder deserved some respect from the technical team.
"He's a player who's in the bubble with Kaizer Chiefs and he deserved respect," Middendorp told the media.
"And, despite you not believing it, he gets my full respect every second of working with him," he said.
The 61-year-old said he is aware of stories that there are players he doesn't get along with within the Amakhosi squad but he feels he needed Ntshangase more against Stellenbosch because he's a ball-player, especially because some of his regulars were not available for selection.
Lebogang Manyama was nursing an injury and couldn't start alongside Willard Katsande in central midfield as this has been the case this season.
And he was happy with Ntshangase's performance on the night, considering that this was his first start in over a year.
"I know stories are there that I don't like this one or I don't like that one, but we tried to have a ball-player, in particular, because some players were not available," continued Middendorp.
"He didn't play for a long time. I was definitely not unhappy with him. He's a player, a ball receiver more or less on the same level where we had Willard Katsande."
Ntshangase could only last for the first 45 minutes on the pitch as he was replaced at half-time and according to Middendorp, the decision to take him off was more tactical than anything.
"We were 1-0 down. So, we had to bring in somebody probably a little bit higher up and closer to the forwards, and that was the reason for taking Dumisani Zuma into the team, for more attacking forward spaces between the lines," he added.
"Siphelele is more a ball receiver with passing out of a deeper position, which, considering that he hasn't played for a long time, was definitely an acceptable performance, there's no doubt," concluded Middendorp.