AmaZulu FC President Sandile Zungu has revealed a significant shift in the club's player recruitment philosophy, directly influenced by comments made by former Bafana Bafana star Teko Modise.
Zungu admitted that Modise’s public critique, which urged KwaZulu-Natal clubs to stop signing “rejects” from other teams and instead nurture local talent, served as a crucial wake-up call for the club.
Modise’s initial comments highlighted a recurring issue with Durban teams, stating, “You look at the type of signings that the Durban teams do; they’re always signing players that are not playing somewhere else to come and play here…So, in essence, you’re taking rejects from other teams.”
He advocated for a return to the successful model of teams like Golden Arrows, which built their squads with players who had a “pride to play for the Durban teams.”
Rather than taking offense, Zungu explained that AmaZulu's management took Modise’s words to heart, interpreting them as a passionate plea from someone who genuinely wants to see KZN football thrive.
AMAZULU SIGNED ONLY 4 PLAYERS AFTER LETTING GO OF OVER 15
This introspection led to a major overhaul. After parting ways with 15 players at the end of last season, the club has embarked on a new direction. Their recent transfer activity reflects this change, with a limited number of new signings—Darren Johnson, Ryan Moon, Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya, and Keegan Allan—and a strong emphasis on promoting talent from within.
The club has promoted several players from its DDC team, including Asanda Mzobe, Onke Ncama, and Minenhle Ngcobo.
Zungu proudly announced that this new strategy has dramatically lowered the squad's average age from 30 years and one month to just over 24 years.
This move, he says, has not only created a younger, more dynamic team but also a squad with quality that is “very good, if not better.” Zungu openly thanked Modise for “waking us from the slumber,” confirming the significant influence his critique has had on the club's future.
