Vilakazi: We Are Not In Panic Mode

AmaZulu co-coach Vusimuzi Vilakazi believes there is still a chance to turn the ship around and bring Usuthu back to winning ways despite a poor start to the season. 

AmaZulu recorded their fourth consecutive defeat of the season after a 2-1 loss away to Orlando Pirates on Friday evening.

This saw the Durban side remain without a single point in the Betway Premiership after four games, sitting rock bottom and already having to worry about a potential battle with relegation. 

With the two co-coaches in Arthur Zwane and Vilakazi only taking charge over just one of the four league games, the coaches acknowledged that as much as they were tasked with building a new system in the team, they are also expected to hit the ground running, grinding results in order to get the team out of the relegation zone. 

“As much as you are saying that it is about results, we know with Arthur that it’s about results and we need to find it right, we need to find a way of making sure that we change the fortune, and we will do,” said Vilakazi.

Vilakazi further reassured his commitment to administering a positive turnaround at Usuthu by asserting, “We will have to grind for results, we will have to dig deep as a team. As I have said, we strongly believe in these players that they can change the fortune. We are the ones who put ourselves in this situation and we can come out of it through our hard work and commitment.”

As the team edges closer to a flirt with relegation, pressure mounts from the club management and supporters in the stands, which usually subjects players to panic and more bad results. 

Having saved the Natal Rich Boys from relegation in the previous season, the former Richards Bay coach reassured that the team is far from panic mode despite having not registered a single point in the league. 

“What you highlighted now is very important. When you stay here for longer, you find it very difficult to come out but its only four games that we have played and lost all. But we are not in panic mode yet,” said the 42-year-old.

Next Tuesday, Usuthu host a revived Chippa United in Durban for their next round of league games. The new gaffer counts on this encounter to serve as the turning point, as the club aims to change fortunes as swiftly as possible. 

“Going to a game that we will be playing at home, I think we need to make sure that that one, we get the three points. So, if we get that win, we strongly believe that we can change fortunes for the club, it is very important,” reiterated the former Golden Arrows coach. 

Already knocked out of the Carling Knockout Cup in the first round, the KwaZulu Natal team is expected to be in full focus on returning back to winning ways and getting closer to the chairman, Sandile Zungu’s ambition top four finish, which seems to be the least of their worries at the moment.