Relegated AmaZulu target immediate return
“WHOEVER is where they are is because they deserve to be there.”
Those simple words by the philosophical Maritzburg United coach Steve Komphela best sums up the final round of the Absa Premiership which saw AmaZulu get relegated and Maritzburg achieve a top eight finish for the first time.
For anyone who struggles to understand how AmaZulu lost 2-1 to a team that played a man short for the final 15 minutes, Komphela’s statement puts it into perspective. All the teams had 30 games to play, said the Maritzburg coach, and you ended up according to your results.
While die-hard AmaZulu porters will feel that the manner of Usuthu’s fight-back in the second half of the campaign doesn’t do justice to how their team fared, ultimately it’s their failure over the 30 matches that let them down.
From today the Durban side will start to plan their way back to the top division, said marketing manager Lunga Sokhela, the son of club chairman Patrick Sokhela.
“The priority is to come straight back up next season,” said Sokhela jr, “but we still need to convene and discuss who the personnel will be.”
Already a number of players will depart after ending their loan agreements. Winger Asive Langwe returns to Bidvest Wits, defender Roscoe Pietersen goes back to Supersport United, and Mamelodi Sundowns will recall striker Bonginkosi Ntuli.
Striker Bongani Ndulula becomes a free agent upon the expiry of his contract in June and will certainly remain in the PSL, while others such as Goodman Dlamini, Marc van Heerden and goalkeeper Energy Murambadoro could be the subjects of interest from top division clubs.
Sokhela said that AmaZulu have a long-term agreement with coach Steve Barker and critically he is keen to stay on and help the side get back up. Speaking after Saturday’s demotion Barker said he “would love to stay on”.
“I can’t fault the players; they showed commitment. I’m satisfied with the contribution but disappointed with the outcome because I came here with a mission to keep the team up.
“We showed some good moments and were one of the better teams since February. This is a fantastic club, with good infrastructure and great supporters.
“Lots of reflection needs to take place and the planning for the way forward to get the team back up needs to start as early as this week.”
The mental fatigue of their fightback eventually took its toll on the team, conceded the coach. He said that news of Chippa losing to Kaizer Chiefs “gave the team a boost, but in the end it wasn’t enough”.