Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz explains Reeve Frosler's midfield deployment - 'He can play in different positions' | Goal.com South Africa

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz has defended his decision to deploy Reeve Frosler in a defensive midfield role during the recent Betway Premiership clash against Stellenbosch.

Speaking at the Carling Knockout Cup draw, where Chiefs were paired with TS Galaxy, Da Cruz addressed the media for the first time since falling ill following the midweek fixture.

Da Cruz was quick to point out that Frosler’s move to the engine room was not a spur-of-the-moment decision but rather a calculated move that had been tested previously.

"We already tried Reeve in midfield during the pre-season," the coach said, as quoted by FARPost.

Expanding on the specific reasons for the switch, Da Cruz highlighted Frosler's aerial prowess as a decisive factor against a physically imposing Stellies side.

"The best quality of Reeve is that he can play in different positions. So it’s very interesting for him. We put Reeve in the middle because he’s a good header. We wanted him to help us with headers against Stellenbosch," he explained.

The lack of depth in the central areas has clearly hampered Da Cruz’s tactical planning in recent weeks.

"We have two injured players and one player is suffering from illness. So we don’t have a lot of choices. The other choices were young players; that’s why we started Reeve in this position," Da Cruz added.

The decision reflects a desire for stability, even if it means moving one of the league's most consistent full-backs away from his natural territory on the right flank.

The focus for the Glamour Boys now shifts to CAF Confederation Cup as they prepare for a difficult trip to Zambia. Whether Frosler remains a permanent fixture in the midfield remains to be seen, but Da Cruz has made it clear that he values the player's versatility above all else during this testing period for the club.