AmaZulu 2022/23 Preview – Recruitment, Squad, And Last Season

Usuthu finished second and made the CAF Champions League in 2020-21 season under coach of the year, Benni McCarthy. After a difficult campaign last time out, the legendary figure was fired with Brandon Truter replacing him. A big season awaits the club and the new permanent coach as the ambitious owners demand a top four finish as the bare minimum.

Last Season – CAF And poor Recruitment Hits Hard

From the time of Benedict McCarthy’s appointment until the end of his first season, AmaZulu picked up just five points less than champions Sundowns. He did a remarkable job, breaking all sorts of records and leading the club into the Champions League. Fast forward to March 2022 and he was being sacked with the team sitting ninth after 23 matches and having been knocked out of their CAF campaign in the group stages.

The coach would have realised how much strengthening his squad needed prior to last season but he was instead handed some very uninspiring additions including not providing him a new striker and largely signing free agents who hadn’t made the grade at the two Soweto giants. It was therefore no surprise to see the season start poorly – the first four matches saw an MTN8 defeat, one point (and no goals scored) from two PSL matches and a home loss to Nyasa Big Bullets in the CAF preliminary rounds.

Benni definitely solidified things after that and the next 20 matches in all competitions brought just one loss, a remarkable run considering the fixture congestion. The problem was that Usuthu were drawing matches constantly in the league. At one stage, they drew seven consecutive DSTV Premiership fixtures, sometimes throwing away leads and coming back from behind impressively on other occasions. The coach’s frustration was clear as he declared his team the “new Swallows”, the Birds having drawn 20 of their 30 matches in the 2020-21 season.

The coach was dismissed after a run of six losses in ten matches. Losing home and away to giants Raja Casablanca was no disgrace and neither was a loss in Algeria to ES Setif. They may have finished third in their tough CAF group but seven points (W2, D1, L3) was not a bad first effort in the competition. For the Usuthu owners, the PSL form was stated as the reason for the change as very little leeway was given for juggling the travelling involved to play on the continent and the lack of quality in the squad for McCarthy to rotate. Truter oversaw seven successive league matches to finish the season, taking 12 points with six clean sheets. He got the side looking very solid once again with some actual time to work on the training ground – it’s a pity that McCarthy was not given the same advantage once the CAF commitments were over. In the end, the side finished in seventh spot.

Recruitment

AmaZulu had a great window two seasons ago as top quality additions like Veli Mothwa, Makhehlene Makhaula, Luvuyo Memela and Augustine Mulenga arrived. Sadly, it was crystal clear 12 months ago that the recruitment was nowhere near good enough. When Kaizer Chiefs offered players in exchange in January to sign Siyethemba Sithebe, the ownership came out strongly, saying: “We were offered two players by Kaizer Chiefs. We made it very clear that we are not a dumping ground for rejects.”

However, last off-season they signed Philani Zulu and Kgotso Moleko, both players released by Chiefs. Other additions included Hendrick Ekstein and Tercious Malepe, both of whom also never truly made the grade at Chiefs and Orlando Pirates respectively. Three of those players were released after one season.

This window has seen some big talking points, not least the additions of Gabadinho Mhango (16 league goals in the 2019-20 season) and Dumisani Zuma. Both players have had off-field discipline problems but are undoubtedly talented and capable of solving the club’s scoring woes (with Augustine Chidi Kwem another striker signed). The big shock is the release of last season’s top scorer and best player, Luvuyo Memela and the PSL’s 2020-21 top assist provider Augustine Mulenga. The latter was injured most of last season (and is still on the recovery path) but both departures are very surprising and look like mistakes.

George Maluleka and Ethan Brooks are high-profile signings in midfield and could form a really good trio alongside Makhaula. Thendo Mukumela (Cape Town Spurs) and Veluyeke Zulu (Chippa United) give more options in defence but the centre back area still looks like an uncertain department. Perhaps the best signing is Riaan Hanamub from Chippa to solve the club’s post-Sibusiso Mabiliso left back problem. He is excellent going forward and a strong defender; he looks a low-risk addition and a major upgrade.

Tapelo Xoki (to Orlando Pirates) and Siyethemba Sithebe (to Kaizer Chiefs) are two big losses, especially the former. He was the club’s most consistent and reliable centre back and his absence could really be felt. Sithebe was frozen out by the board last season despite Benni McCarthy wanting to use one of his best players – a move that can only be described as ‘cutting off your nose to spite your face’.

Squad Depth And How Truter Could Line Up

Going on his selection at Swallows and in his seven matches in charge of AmaZulu, Truter is expected to use a variation of a 4-3-3. He tends to favour a back four and usually asks his fullbacks to invert alongside a lone defensive midfielder to cover counter attacks and to assist in the build-up phase.

This frees up two number eights to get forward and you could imagine Ethan Brooks and George Maluleka enjoying that freedom, with Sphesihle Maduna or Keagan Buchanan other options. With Mhango, Kwem and Zuma on board to add to Bongi Ntuli and veteran Lehlohonolo Majoro, the striking options are much deeper. Both Mhango and Zuma can also play as wide forwards.

The squad looks in reasonable shape in some departments and weaker in other areas. Hanamub and Thembela Sikhakhane are excellent and aggressive (sometimes overly) at fullback and with Mothwa in goal and a very solid midfield three, there’s a few strong areas in the starting XI. Centre back is far less certain with five or six options for that area and none really standing out from the rest. Rama Mphahlele has been on trial at the club but would represent overkill in that department and force a lack of stability. Samkelo Mgwazela and Sandile Khumalo both have potential and may be worth placing trust in youth ahead of Mbongeni Gumede.

The attack looks stronger but imbalanced. Exciting young winger Msindisi Ndlovu may get plenty of opportunities because the squad lacks natural wingers, something Dumisani Zuma, for example, is definitely not (and neither is Maduna). There could also be a lack of creativity between the lines and in central areas. It’s almost as if they should have held onto the winger (Mulenga) and creator (Memela) that they already had, to service the new forwards they’ve signed!

Verdict

AmaZulu will be interesting to watch this season and will certainly be well-coached and well-conditioned by Truter, who knows his stuff on the periodisation front. His use of inverted fullbacks is always an intriguing innovation and his sides control games really well and limit the opposition’s chances. Whether Usuthu have the creativity and width to turn their build-up play into penetration is another question altogether. I’d expect very few defeats but a high number of draws once again. Truter also has to keep his squad focused off the field with the past indiscretions of Mhango, Zuma and Mobara.

Prediction:

Best Possible Finish: FOURTH

Worst Possible Finish: SEVENTH

James O'Connor

James is a football analyst who writes about the tactics of the PSL and English Premier League. He holds the UEFA A coaching licence and has previously worked for several clubs in analysis roles.Twitter: https://twitter.com/footy_analysis