Arthur Zwane says centre-back Eric Mathoho still has a job to do for Kaizer Chiefs

The 32-year-old defender has played just one minute of one DStv Premiership game this term in the 2-1 victory over SuperSport United in September.

He has been on the bench only seven times, in all competitions, having endured a number of setbacks on his road to recovery.

Chiefs could certainly do with a fully fit Mathoho and Zwane insists the door remains open for the former Bloemfontein Celtic player to reaffirm his position at the heart of the Amakhosi defence.

Zwane said on FARPost: "Eric [Mathoho] is definitely part and parcel [of the team]. He played a huge role in the past and even now.

"He's just unfortunate not only him, he's one of the players that have been injury prone this season.

"Last week or two weeks ago, if I'm not mistaken, we were preparing him for a game, and, he couldn't make it because of a toe injury.

"We thought he would be fully recovered last week; he started jogging; when we thought he was ready, it [injury] troubled him, then we had to rest him until up to now, he hasn't recovered fully."

The Chiefs coach added: "It's not only him [Mathoho]; Cole Alexander, Khama [Billiat] and [Phathutshedzo] Nange as well are in that situation."