Ayanda Dlamini was promoted from his assistant position to head coach for the final five games of the season and was entrusted with the responsibility of saving the club’s top-flight status. Ayanda Dlamini was promoted from his assistant position to head coach for the final five games of the season and was entrusted with the responsibility of saving the club’s top-flight status. Picture: Gerhard Duraan BackpagePix
Johannesburg – AmaZulu are on the verge of closing out a tumultuous season and interim coach Ayanda Dlamini has reflected on the campaign with their final game of the season set for this weekend.
Usuthu have had an up and down season, going from the height of reaching the MTN8 final and leading the Premiership standings at the beginning of the campaign, to battling to survive relegation.
The 38-year-old Dlamini was promoted from his assistant position to head coach for the final five games of the season and was entrusted with the responsibility of saving the club’s top-flight status, a feat he has achieved.
When quizzed about his thoughts on the season, a disappointed Dlamini said that he and his players understood how they weren't able to reach their potential.
We let ourselves down - AmaZulu coach Ayanda Dlamini after a disappointing season pic.twitter.com/8VdOkqQA3p
— IOL Sport (@IOLsport) May 17, 2023
“To be honest I think we let ourselves down. Like I’ve always said I think there are games where we really had to take three points but we ended up losing a game, that's the only thing I can say has let us down and I think we deserve more points than the ones we have,” Dlamini said.
“If I can go back, you play against Kaizer Chiefs and win 4-0, and you play at home again (against Marumo Gallants) and you draw, and the whole of January we played at home, but didn’t take advantage of it in terms of securing the points that we wanted.”
The KwaZulu-Natal club has had three coaches at the helm this season after starting off with Brandon Truter, who then made way for Romain Folz (who has since taken up a technical advisor role within the club) and will conclude the campaign with Dlamini in charge.
All of the sackings and redeployments made by the club have attracted unwanted controversy, which has also hindered the club’s results and progress.
AmaZulu head into their last game of the season against Orlando Pirates with nothing of value to their campaign, but with the opportunity to have a say on who qualifies for next season’s Caf Champions League.
The highest position the club can finish this season is 10th, a displeasing reality considering the club’s early season targets of a top-four finish, a situation club president Sandile Zungu has committed to rectifying ahead of next season.
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