AmaZulu to move their team base from Moses Mabhida to Kings Park
AMAZULU have decided to move their team base from Moses Mabhida Stadium across the road to Kings Park.
Usuthu’s offices were previously based at Moses Mabhida Stadium, while the club’s players also practised at the 2010 World Cup venue. In an interview with Independent Media, AmaZulu general manager, Lunga Sokhela, detailed how their relationship with the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union will work.
“All our structures will be moving from Moses Mabhida Stadium to Kings Park. Already our development (squad) was training at Kings Park,” Sokhela said.
“We had two training grounds and development offices there. They are now giving us two additional training grounds. The MDC (reserve team) and the first team will move together with the administrative staff.
“Actually, this process should have been done in April, but the (Covid-19) pandemic halted those plans.
“We are just waiting for the rugby to open up. Once it was opened up, we can complete the move (referring to all the administrative staff as the first group is now already there).”
AmaZulu turned King Zwelithini Stadium into a fortress last season as opposition teams found it difficult to beat them there. King Zwelithini Stadium was under construction before the national lockdown, which forced AmaZulu to utilise different venues as their home base. That contributed negatively to their performances.
“Our primary home ground will still be King Zwelithini Stadium, and then for those bigger games based on the Sharks’ schedule, we will be at Kings Park,” Sokhela said.
“Moving to Kings Park will benefit us a lot. We will be sharing knowledge with the KwaZulu-Natal Rugby Union.
“Medically, they are very advanced, when it comes to conditioning and all those things.
“Being at the same facility, we’ll be communicating with them and sharing knowledge. We’ve already shared with them our Covid-19 protocols. For me, that’s going to be the biggest benefit.”
AmaZulu have put a greater emphasis on their development over the last two years, in an effort to turn the club into a real force in the PSL.
“The alignment between our senior team and junior team will be far more effective if we are all in the same place. We will be communicating far more frequently. We will see the impact instantly,” Sokhela said.