Benni McCarthy’s AmaZulu warriors will fight an unfamiliar battle this season

Benni McCarthy, head coach of AmaZulu during the DStv Premiership match between Cape Town City FC and AmaZulu FC at Cape Town Stadium on April 29, 2021 in Cape Town, South Africa. (Photo by Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix/Gallo Images)

By Yanga Sibembe

5 Sep 2021

KwaZulu-Natal’s AmaZulu overachieved last season. This season, they are fighting on unfamiliar terrain, including the CAF Champions League. They will have to dig deep to match the success of the previous campaign.

First published in the Daily Maverick 168 weekly newspaper.

AmaZulu, who had an outstanding 2020/21 season, have so far failed to carry the electric form that saw them finish runners-up to Mamelodi Sundowns into the new season.

Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy, who took over the reins from Ayanda Dlamini halfway through last season, helped the club break a number of personal records as they made a genuine charge for the title before Masandawana pressed down on the accelerator à la vintage Lewis Hamilton.

The former Porto goal poacher led the side to their highest points haul in the Premiership, and as a result, their highest finish in the top flight. He also oversaw a 16-game unbeaten run in the league.

This season, Usuthu have so far struggled to replicate those formidable displays.

In their first three games of this season, McCarthy’s men are winless and have scored just once.

They lost 2-1 to Cape Town City in the MTN8 quarterfinals. They were then vanquished 1-0 by Sundowns in the season opener of the DStv Premiership. They followed that up with a nil-all stalemate against Swallows.

Good break

McCarthy, during a media engagement with the South African Football Journalists’ Association, expressed his relief at the timing of the Fifa international window, saying it’ll give him and his technical team a chance to drill down and hopefully return an improved side on the other side of the window.

“The break couldn’t have come at a better time for me and the team... It was nice that we were able to have a pre-season with the guys. But due to unfortunate circumstances, with us still being very heavy in the heart of Covid-19, we got struck with nine players testing positive for Covid-19,” McCarthy told journalists.

“Massive panic broke out in the camp, having to do tests and making sure that everyone was okay because the players that tested positive were in and [among] the group. Fortunately for us it was only those players that tested positive… It’s just been complete mayhem.”

Things are hardly going to become any easier for McCarthy’s side. When the international break ends, they will begin their Champions League journey with a clash against Malawian side Big Bullets in the preliminary rounds.

Then they will clash with the currently high-flying SuperSport United, before travelling to Malawi for the return leg against Bullets. Following that, they will find KwaZulu-Natal rivals Lamontville Golden Arrows waiting. After that clashes with Baroka and Kaizer Chiefs will follow.

Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy, who took over the reins from Ayanda Dlamini halfway through last season, during the DStv Premiership match between Cape Town City FC and AmaZulu FC at Cape Town Stadium on 29 April 2021. (Photo: Ryan Wilkisky / BackpagePix / Gallo Images)

New territory

The Usuthu head coach, though, is confident that his side can navigate this period, especially once the new recruits have hopefully settled into the demands of the side.

AmaZulu bolstered their ranks with players such as Keagan Buchanan and Philani Zulu, both from Chiefs, Maritzburg United’s Mxolisi Kunene, Gambian midfielder Matarr Ceesay, Tercious Malepe, Tshepang Moremi and Lindani Shange – who was promoted from the reserves.

“Once we find our feet, we’ll start becoming the AmaZulu that I want,” McCarthy said. “Similar to what we produced last season. We’re trying to integrate the new players as well, into the system, into the philosophy… It’ll take some time.

“Hopefully, we can start getting more competitive and get back to the AmaZulu that we know we can be. And start winning games. Because you don’t want to lose a lot of ground on your rivals at the early stages, otherwise you will have a bigger mountain to climb [later in the season].”

This is all new territory for AmaZulu. Usuthu, perpetual relegation candidates in seasons past, have grown exponentially since KwaZulu-Natal businessman Sandile Zungu took over the club from the Sokhela family at the beginning of last season.

When the takeover happened, Zungu expressed his desire to see South Africa’s oldest football club become a powerhouse that is constantly competing for the highest accolades.

McCarthy, though, feels the club is still in transition from being a bottom half of the table team to being a team that should at least finish in the top eight in a bad season.

“At this point in time we seem a little bit out of our depth, because we’ve never been in this situation. So, we have to adjust as a football club in all departments. Coaching staff, players, admin… Everyone.

“This [new success] has come suddenly and you can see that we still work in the format of a team that’s just trying to break into the top eight, instead of working like a team that’s achieved and wants to stay there,” said McCarthy.

Killer instinct

One thing McCarthy’s side has evidently lacked so far in the 2021/22 season is a killer instinct upfront.

He has at his disposal the likes of Lehlohonolo Majoro, Bonginkosi Ntuli, Siphelele Mthembu and New Zealand national Andre de Jong. McCarthy, though, feels that he needs another striker who will be more clinical than what he currently has at his disposal.

The Uefa Champions League winner had his eye on Argentine striker Facundo Juárez, who is on the books of Atlético Mitre in his home country.

“He was the star signing, the marquee signing that I wanted. But, unfortunately, we learnt last minute that he still had six more months on his deal, and their coach didn’t want to lose the player. Our plans got kicked out a little bit with trying to bring him now at the start of the season,” shared McCarthy.

“He is the ideal player that I wanted, and I think he would have made a massive difference in the team – goals and everything, he has got the works. I am still hopeful that the club can still back me in that decision. If we don’t find a recognised striker before the window closes, I will definitely wait until December to bring this player in, and we can go for the jugular.”

Of course, the transfer window has since closed and it seems that McCarthy will have to do with what he has at his disposal. Although, between himself and his assistant Siyabonga Nomvethe, who is the all-time leading goal scorer in the Premier Soccer League’s history, there is enough knowledge to sharpen the current crop of forwards at their disposal. DM168

This story first appeared in our weekly Daily Maverick 168 newspaper which is available for R25 at Pick n Pay, Exclusive Books and airport bookstores. For your nearest stockist, please click here.

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