Maduna return gives AmaZulu midfield boost, says Zwane

AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane believes the return of Sphesihle Maduna can significantly strengthen his team, particularly in midfield, after the 29-year-old rejoined the club on a free transfer from TS Galaxy.

Maduna was unveiled by Usuthu this week ahead of the new season and is beginning a second spell with the club. He previously spent six seasons with AmaZulu’s first team before moving on to Cape Town Spurs.

Zwane says Maduna’s ability to win possession and help the team move quickly from defence into attack will be especially valuable. The coach was speaking before AmaZulu’s game against Orlando Pirates, a fixture in which he felt Maduna could already have made an impact had he been fit and available.

“Firstly, quality that we lack a little bit, trust me if he was fit and available for the game today [against Orlando Pirates], he was gonna make a difference, especially in the midfield, with those turnovers,” said Zwane.

The AmaZulu coach also discussed the balance of his midfield options and the effect of player absences on his preparations. Pule Ekstein was unavailable, while Mlondi Mbanjwa had provided an important attacking contribution from the substitutes’ bench last season.

“If Pule [Ekstein] was available, I think, still, he was gonna [make difference]. What I’m saying is, if I take out [Mlondi] Mbanjwa and then I bring in Pule or I start with Pule and then Mbanjwa…Mbanjwa last season scored a lot of goals from the bench. You get what I mean? So, we balanced it.

“So, now, we’ve lost Thapelo [Matlhoko], we’ve lost Pule. Thapelo, Pule. [Moses] Shuma joined us when we were, like, two weeks left into preseason. So, he’s still, he’s far behind.

“You get what I mean? Just like Pule, who missed out, nearly, all the preseason in terms of preparation.

“So, Pule and Shuma, they’re not ready. They’re not gonna be ready anytime soon.”

Zwane said the timing of the players’ preparations had left both Ekstein and Moses Shuma short of full match readiness. Shuma joined AmaZulu with only about two weeks of pre-season remaining, while Ekstein missed nearly the whole of the pre-season programme.

That has increased the importance of Maduna’s return as AmaZulu prepare for the new campaign. His experience of the club and familiarity with the team could help fill the gap left by the departures or absences of Thapelo Matlhoko and Ekstein, while also giving Zwane another option in a midfield area he believes needs greater quality.

Maduna’s move to AmaZulu marks a return to a club where he spent six seasons with the senior side before his departure for Cape Town Spurs. His latest spell begins after leaving TS Galaxy as a free agent.

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