‘I want to do better’

What matters most for Ntuli is that he has always been able to find ways of growing through all the deterrents that he has faced.

He is now 29 and matured through of all those experiences from previous years when it was expected that he would toss his toys out of the cot.

“I think I should have every reason to find pride in the way I have come up from where it all began for me all through the eight years that I have now been playing professional football.

“Through all the years I have been able to make contribution and score goals when given the chance to play. What gives me joy is that I have always had support from home, regardless of the situation that I am going through at any period of my career.

“It is for that reason that I say from the way I see it, I feel my career is growing because even in the two most recent seasons that I have been here at AmaZulu, I have been able to improve.

“From what I managed last season I have been able to improve on it and I am now on double figures, meaning my confidence keeps growing all the time as well which is important in football.

“Even next season I want to do better than I have done this season because that is what I always aim for as a footballer,” says Ntuli, who feels he has benefitted from being at Usuthu.

“AmaZulu is a team from home which means it was always going to be much easier for me to fit in, plus it is a club with players that understand the way I play. It really does help to be playing for a team from home.

“I am a guy who likes being at home at any time so it helps that I can do that with so much ease, which allows me to get a lot of rest. This is a club that understands who I am as a person and how I want to play football.

“The style used by AmaZulu suits me, so that is why I am as happy as I am now. By style I mean the players in the team are guys that have shown they have so much trust in me that I will deliver the goals for the team. When you are put in that space it rubs off on your confidence.

“It is encouraging to have so much support and trust from your teammates especially when the team needs that lift. At times they even tell me in my face that they are looking up to me to deliver, so I am always aware of the responsibility that I have on my shoulders in every game which helps with confidence.

“I think I will be right to tell you that regardless of what happens in football you must always have your confidence in place. At times you will be faced with situations where a certain coach doesn’t play you, and you start thinking about the wrong things but that shouldn’t discourage you from working on your game and staying sharp.

“Confidence is that personal extra that you should always have as a player and it comes together when you are fit,” he notes. indication of just how much the side has had to rely on him.

“I had not really checked those numbers just as yet, but I am glad you are making me aware about the presence that I have had in the team which has helped in the contribution that I have had.

“I think all these numbers are the reason why I was moaning about the coronavirus break earlier. In previous years I have been disturbed by injuries, so I have every reason to be as grateful as I am now to have stayed fit all season.

“At times as players we are not grateful enough when God keep us fit all season because that is the only way that you can get to have an impact in the team. To play as many 90 minutes as I have done also talks about how fit and ready I have been this season, so credit should go to

experience, Dlamini has taken over from Jozef Vukusic, who himself had come in for Cavin Johnson earlier on in the season.

“As a striker I feel I have benefitted from working with coach Ayanda in the same way I did with [former assistant coach] Mabhuti [Khenyeza] because their advice on movements and timing my runs is always clear.

“When you haven’t scored a goal in a long time you start aggressively rushing everything and end up failing the basics. When your heart overtakes you in the chase for a goal then there is no way you are going to be composed in the box.

“I always tell the guys in the team about the need to be patient in waiting for your goal to come because that way you will be able to relax and be calm in the box. I am buoyed by having gotten to at least 10 again this season and next season I want more.

“With regards to coaches, it hasn’t affected us because we all know that we are professional footballers it is part our job to adapt to coaches. Ayanda is familiar with all of us and understands the way I play, as well as how the rest of the team functions and you can tell that everyone on the field is happy. I think you saw the indication of what is to come in the game against Chiefs where we performed well as a team,” says Ntuli.

Though he is unhappy with Usuthu’s struggles this term, the drive to win the top scorer award is clear.

“I really want that award this season.

As a striker these are the awards that you want to win along the way because you are employed to score goals and compete with all other strikers employed to do the same at their clubs.

“The fact that the guy on top of us [Orlando Pirates’ Gabadinho Mhango] is just two goals ahead of me is what has been giving me the hope that I stand good chance. The plus being that our remaining games are winnable.

“I think there is still a huge possibility of getting to about 18 goals if the games get to resume,” he notes, before adding his opinion on why the team has struggled this term.

“We obviously didn’t start the season on the right footing, but we had that huge win [against Chiefs] which we got before the break. I think the coronavirus came at the wrong time because our confidence was on the up and we were so looking forward to dealing with the next opponent.

“Of course we have spent most of the season in the relegation zone, but I believe we will survive and possibly finish in the top eight. We know we will move up now that we have taken away that feeling of always stressing about relegation and failing to sleep at night.

“I am obviously not happy with the way the team has done this season because we are not anywhere close to being where we want to be. I would have been happier if I had done as well as I have with the team somewhere in the top eight.

“That way I would have been proud of my contribution, which is different to the situation that we are in because I feel like I haven’t scored enough goals to get the team higher up the standings. The team is always more important than the individual,” he concludes.