Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena has provided an update on the injury of Haashim Domingo after he was stretchered off the pitch from a lunging tackle by Tapelo Xoki.
Domingo had to be carried off on a stretcher early in the Carling Black Label Cup final against Orlando Pirates from a heavy challenge on his ankle that got Xoki red-carded. There were fears that the former Bidvest Wits midfielder could be on another long-term injury after he recently returned from a serious injury.
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However, Mokwena says the injury does not look as bad as initially feared.
"Not as bad as we thought but the good thing is he's got two weeks now for him to, without pressure, for him to see how the swelling (dies) down," Mokwena said on Soccer Zone.
"Because that's the first part of recovery, we can't do anything until the swelling does down and then proper diagnosis can take place."
Mokwena's emotions on the incident were triggered after he saw the slow motions in the review show and he went on to condemn those type of tackles.
"Ja, they don't belong in football, we must play football and we must be aggressive but there's thuggish behaviour and there's aggression," he said.
Mothobi Mvala, who is also known as a hard-tackler, was sitting next to him in the studio and he made example of him that he often reprimands him from making such dangerous challenges at training because they put the careers of players on the line.
"Mothobi knows, Mothobi is probably the hardest tackler in our team and there are moments where even in his nature he goes with a little bit too much aggression," he said.
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"And he knows that immediately training stops and he gets reprimanded because I say to him, 'Whether it is to your teammates or whether it is to your opposition you don't destroy people's careers'.
"We're here to play football, to be competitive and to compete for sure but still within the confines of fair play you know because at the end of the day we're there to entertain but at the same time football players are there to also be bread winners and work for their families," he carried on.
"So if you cut a career short, what are you saying to the families of the people who are depending you to be on the pitch?" he asked.
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