Smiso Msomi
AmaZulu’s president has revealed that he aims to take full control of operations at the club ahead of the 2024/25 Dstv Premiership campaign.
Sandile Zungu addressed the media under light-hearted conditions yesterday afternoon, outlining Usuthu’s plans for the coming season while also reflecting on the last campaign. AmaZulu have finished outside the top eight for two consecutive seasons and dealt with relegation worries on occasion.
Zungu took over the KwaZulu Natal-based outfit in 2020 and since then the club has gone on to qualify for the CAF Champions League, as well as compete in a domestic cup final. However, Zungu pulled himself away from the forefront of the club and handed over the reins to his daughter Sinenjabulo Zungu, who led the outfit as chief executive officer.
Although a pensive Zungu expressed that the club had not gone into disaster management mode, he feels the need to avail himself more for the responsibilities of the club.
“With the issue of going back to the trenches, I’m chairman of the board but also president of the club, so I’m accountable to the board of the club. I get asked about who takes control of certain things and I cannot escape accountability.
“There’s a great expectation on me to account for how we spend our money and also the return we get for our money. You can’t do that by pointing fingers, so you have to roll up your sleeves and get in the trenches.
“If you’re outside then things go horribly pear-shaped and if you’re in the trenches yourself then you can intervene timeously. So, for me, I’m expected to provide leadership and I will do that.”
In what has become a busy period for AmaZulu – they confirmed the exit of four players as well as goalkeeper coach Wayne Sandilands – Zungu has elected to retain the services of Spanish tactician Pablo Martin.
“We believe we have the right man for the job and I think he has plenty of time. In his first season, he could’ve got 50 points and that would have been a huge turnaround in his first season.
“He now understands how the PSL works, the nuances that he would’ve been told about, he has experienced them first-hand.”
The uMlazi-born businessman has always held high expectations for Usuthu and has expressed wishes to attain and cement a top-four position in the DStv Premiership standings.
On the day when he declared his full return to the club, Zungu expressed that he would revive those ambitions with a shrewd hand.
AmaZulu will return to the field in two weeks when they participate in the KZN Premier’s Cup, with at least four new signings expected.