Cape Town - Maritzburg United coach Eric Tinkler has explained the reason why striker Jeremy Brockie has had limited game-time since joining on loan from Mamelodi Sundowns.
Brockie has made three appearances for the Team of Choice in which time the New Zealand international has failed to find the back of the net.
And Tinkler has explained that upon his arrival at KZN-based club, Brockie was well short of match fitness, which has led the Maritzburg to question the training regime the 32-year-old was under at Sundowns.
"You've got to understand for a player to be out as long as Jeremy Brockie has been out, he's been out what, six or seven months? For a footballer that's a long time," Tinkler said as quoted by KickOff website following his side's penalty shootout victory over Bidvest Wits in the Telkom Knockout.
"My understanding is he didn't do a hell of a lot of training while he was at Sundowns.
"So, when he joined us his fitness levels were not where it needed to be, his sharpness as a striker is not where it should be.
"Slowly but surely, I brought him through the games, I think I've played him 65 minutes and taking him to 75 and today although he didn't finish the game, he played 97 minutes. I was very happy with that.
"In my opinion he's now fully fit and ready to rock and roll, which is what we want from him."
- TeamTalk Media