Amazulu have a tough remaining five games, all of whom are against opponents sitting above them on the log. The list includes champions-elect Sundowns and MTN8 champions, Orlando Pirates. Will they be in the DStv Premiership next season?
Remaining Fixtures: Supersport United (A), Sekhukhune United (H), Mamelodi Sundowns (H), Golden Arrows (A) and Orlando Pirates (H)
Brakkies needed more time
One win from their last nine games in the league, five points from relegation and dropping points with each passing week – AmaZulu face an uncertain future in the PSL with the 2022/23 season nearing its end.
Having had a decent start to the campaign under Brandon Truter, AmaZulu were able to win three of their opening five league games and restored a sense of confidence among the fans in the club’s new owners and coaching staff.
But the wheels soon started to fall off for Truter and his men. And even though they were still in the MTN8, a run of dreadful results in the league would condemn him a dismissal from the club just less than six months into the job.
While this was in line with the club’s desire to compete for every trophy available this campaign, it still made no sense to a lot of football fans, including myself.
Why the chairman would sack his coach while they are still on track to win the club a first trophy since 1992 is what puzzled the AmaZulu faithful.
To add to the confusion of the fanbase, the club went on to appoint Romain Folz – a 32-year-old Frenchman who had formerly been at Marumo Gallants in the early stages of the season and failed to impress there.
🟢 Recent AmaZulu coaches:
— iDiski Times (@iDiskiTimes) March 17, 2023
Benni McCarthy: 1.52 points per game
Brandon Truter: 1.47 points per game
Romain Folz: 1.17 points per game
Sometimes you only realise what you had when it's gone... #DStvPrem pic.twitter.com/N3yCWatj05
‘Fohloza’ Era
Folz would go on to advance to the finals of the MTN by the away goals rule, and lose to Orlando Pirates in a final which was played in Durban in November.
Everything just went downhill from there, with a 4-0 home win over the Amakhosi in January being their best moment since then. On the 4th April, the club announced that Ayanda Dlamini had been elevated to caretaker coach after head coach Romain Folz was shifted to a technical director role
Dlamini is not new to the role, having been head coach of the club when Zungu bought AmaZulu from the Sokhela family just before the start of the 2019-2020 season.
And in one of his first acts as caretaker coach, Dlamini brought Ramahlwe Mphahlele and Keagan Buchanan back to the squad after they had been axed by his predecessor.
This will go a long way in boosting the team’s morale during their intense relegation battle – which sees them play their remaining five games against oppositions sitting above them on the log.
NEW COACH!!!
— FARPost_ZA (@FARPostZA) October 9, 2022
AmaZulu have announced the appointment of former Marumo Gallants coach Romain Folz as the new man in charge at Usuthu.
Ayanda Dlamini will assist him until the end of the 2022/23 season.#FARPost pic.twitter.com/HeZXmoTyIZ
2023/23 remaining fixtures
SuperSport United (23 April) – They have beaten SSU before in this campaign – a 2-1 win in their second game of the season back in July. Playing at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, they bossed United around and scored two goals in 13 minutes to see off the Pretoria-based side.
Sekhukhune United (29 April) – Ethan Brooks was shown a red card in the reverse fixture where AmaZulu were away, but Sekhukhune failed to capitalise. Usuthu complete more passes than their opponents, and boasted the better ball possession, despite being a man short.
Memelodi Sundowns (03 May) – I actually feel this is the game that AmaZulu have the best chance of winning. They managed to match the Brazilians in their back yard back in September, but were unfortunate to concede a let Marcelo Allende goal.
Golden Arrows (13 May) – Here is another match they will feel is winnable – a KZN Derby towards the end of the campaign is great way to get the boys fired-up and looking forward to their final game of the season.
Orlando Pirates (20 May) – AmaZulu were able to hold Pirates to a 1-1 draw in Mbombela back in October in a league encounter. But they were outclassed by the Sea Robbers in the MTN8 final played in Durban. I would trust them to be at their best for this one – albeit without their trusted midfielder and former captain, Makhehleni Makhaula who joined the Buccaneers from Usuthu in January.
AmaZulu have appointed Ayanda Dlamini as interim head coach.
— Lorenz Köhler (@Lorenz_KO) April 4, 2023
Romain Folz has been redeployed to the role of technical director.
🇿🇦 #DStvPrem pic.twitter.com/uqmedsmnuZ
