Preseason friendlies will help gauge our strength against European teams – Petersen

Kaizer Chiefs' Brandon Petersen has hailed the importance of the friendlies they'll play in the Netherlands.

Petersen, 30, hopes the five preparatory matches they will play during their preseason camp in the Netherlands will also help Amakhosi gauge their level against European sides. 

Chiefs, who left SA for the Netherlands last Thursday, face Dutch second-tier side, Vitesse, in their first friendly of the preseason tour in the Netherlands in Dorpsstraat on Tuesday (7pm SA time). Chiefs return home on July 19.

“I think these are important, competitive friendlies for us. Playing against teams who play at the highest level abroad is always good, so we're looking forward to seeing where we are weighing against some of these bigger teams,” Petersen said. 

Petersen also views the preseason as a perfect opportunity to lay a solid foundation for the season ahead, asserting the hard work they were putting in the Netherlands would be rewarded later, especially since they'll also be involved in the taxing CAF Confederation Cup.

“The preseason is where we lay the foundation. We sweat and suffer now so that we can shine later. We're pushing our bodies to the max to lay a foundation for the coming season. Obviously, we have a big season lying ahead with the CAF Confederation Cup on the horizon as well,'' Petersen said.

Kabelo Nkgwesa, Thulani Mabaso and Naledi Hlongwane are some of a few DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) players that tagged along with the first team for this European preseason tour, hoping to impress head coach Nasreddine Nabi ahead of the new season.

New recruits such as Nkanyiso Shinga, Thabiso Monyane, Flavio Silva and Ethan Chislett also form part of the Amakhosi squad in the Netherlands. Petersen feels the preseason will also help them forge that camaraderie, particularly with the newcomers.

“What we do now as a team is very important not only physically but as a team to get that togetherness and brotherhood since there are a few players who joined us. It's important to welcome them and gel as soon as possible,” the Chiefs keeper said. 

In the Netherlands, the Glamour Boys are based in the town of Apeldoorn, about 80km east of the capital Amsterdam. 

Chiefs' friendlies in the Netherlands (all in SA time)

Tuesday: v Vitesse in Dorpsstraat (7pm)

Friday: v Utrecht venue TBC (4pm)

Saturday: v NEC Nijmegen in Overasselt (2pm)

July 15: v Zwolle in Meppel (7pm)

July 16: v Twente in Enschede (7pm)

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