Will Ajax make a deal for Isaacs?

Erwin Isaacs of Ajax Cape Town during the Ajax Cape Town Morning Training Session at Ikamva, Cape Town, 8 September 2015 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix

Erwin Isaacs of Ajax Cape Town during the Ajax Cape Town Morning Training Session at Ikamva, Cape Town, 8 September 2015 ©Chris Ricco/BackpagePix

Published Sep 9, 2015

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Ajax Cape Town have an opportunity to sign Erwin Isaacs – but, strangely enough, they aren’t salivating at the prospect.

Isaacs spent six months at the Cape club on loan from Wits last season and was an instant hit. The 28-year-old from Lavender Hill’s experience and industry provided a solid contribution in ensuring that Ajax ended fifth in the PSL and qualified for the final of the Nedbank Cup.

The Urban Warriors were keen on making Isaacs’s move permanent during the transfer window this season, but were put off by Wits’ exorbitant asking price. But the attacking midfielder is now a free agent.

He still had one year to go with the Students but, after much deliberation, they decided to terminate his contract and allow him the opportunity to seek a new challenge elsewhere.

Because he is a free player, Isaacs can be signed even though the transfer window is closed.

He is currently training with Ajax and is keen on playing for the team where he really enjoyed himself last season. The club’s management, though, say budgets have already been done and it’ll be difficult to make the deal.

The coaches, however, are keen on adding Isaacs to the squad – and it now all depends on whether they can convince the money men to loosen the purse strings for a player that will definitely beef up the squad and offer an influential presence in the dressing-room.

Meanwhile, Ajax are in action on Saturday night when they host Polokwane City in a PSL fixture at the Cape Town Stadium (kick-off 8.15pm) – and coach Roger de Sa has a few crucial decisions to make regarding selection, especially because there are so many injury concerns in the squad.

While De Sa always focuses on the present challenge, the fixture immediately at hand, he may have to think long-term this week. Ajax’s next engagement, after Polokwane, is the MTN8 final against Kaizer Chiefs in Port Elizabeth next Saturday – and he may have to rest a few key men who are carrying niggles this week.

First up is Bafana Bafana central defender Rivaldo Coetzee. The 18-year-old was injured in the national team’s 3-1 embarrassment to Mauritania and sat out last night’s Nelson Mandela Challenge friendly against Senegal in Soweto. On his return, Ajax will assess the extent and severity of Coetzee’s injury before deciding whether he plays against Polokwane or not.

Goalkeeper Anssi Jaakkola is another worry. The Finn has been in great form this season, but injured a tendon in his hand. He is currently training with a splint, but still handling and catching balls excellently.

Reserve goalkeeper Jody February returned from Tunisia today, after playing for the SA Under-23 squad. If De Sa decides to give Jaakkola a break before the final, then the promising February is looking at a PSL start on Saturday.

And for that SA Under-23 trip to Tunisia, Ajax’s Abbubaker Mobara and Riyaad Norodien were also supposed to travel. But both were sent back to the Cape by Amaglug-glug’s medical staff, with Mobara troubled by an ankle injury and Norodien struggling with a groin strain. With this exciting young duo also regulars in De Sa’s team, they add to the problems facing the coach.

Finally, there’s striker Prince Nxumalo, who’s back training after a huge scare two weeks ago when he suffered a series of epileptic fits. He spent a few days in hospital in Joburg, had some time back home with his family in Durban, and is now training again.

Nxumalo is on medication for the seizures and, according to medical advice, he should be out for about four weeks. The coaches are monitoring him at training to gauge how much pressure he can handle.

All in all, it’s a big selection juggle for De Sa as he contemplates Polokwane and Chiefs over the coming weekends.

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