Arthur Zwane: ‘Everyone is a legend now’ as AmaZulu coach criticises former players

AmaZulu coach Arthur Zwane has criticised former players who use podcasts and other platforms to attack the current generation, saying their comments can have a damaging effect on footballers.

Speaking exclusively to Soccer Laduma in the latest edition of the newspaper, Zwane explained how he tries to support his AmaZulu players as a father figure and psychologist while they deal with the negativity surrounding the game.

“Why would you want to have a podcast to attack players and to tell people how good you were? Everyone knows how good you were. Why do you want to remind us?” Zwane said.

“Be a good example. Being a good example is not telling people who you are. People will always remember who you are and what you’ve done. At some point, I didn’t want to worry about it because it’s none of my business.

“But it’s my business because I am in the game and when my players listen to some of the guys talking, the way they attack players and remind people what they’ve done – especially former players – it’s not good.”

Zwane, a former Kaizer Chiefs winger, said people who had achieved significant things in football did not need to repeatedly remind others of their accomplishments.

“We know a lot of people who have done great things and they don’t remind people,” he said.

The AmaZulu coach added that players should use difficult experiences as lessons, while those who find success should remain humble and avoid behaviour that could undermine others.

“But I always tell players that certain things happen for a reason. It’s good that they are happening because they are learning from it. It teaches them not to repeat the same,” Zwane said.

“When you are successful, you remain humble and keep your feet on the ground and stay away from all these things. That’s why I try by all means to stay away from being around a lot of former players for those reasons.

“I am not saying former players are bad people. All I am saying is that certain things that are said out there are not good for the game and not good for these (current) players. There are a lot of things we can do better to remind people who we are (as former players) and the contribution we’ve made.”

Zwane also questioned the way the term “legend” is increasingly applied in football, arguing that players need to meet a higher standard before receiving that recognition.

“I am not a legend. I am a former player. There are legends in South Africa. Sometimes we need to be able to tell the difference,” he said.

“I am a former player and there are legends. Everyone is a legend now. People play three games and become legends. People win one cup and become legends. We need to get to that level where we understand what a legend is and what have you achieved.”

The full interview appears in edition 1497 of Soccer Laduma.