Benni And Middendorp Reject AmaZulu Approach
AmaZulu’s search for a new coach is becoming increasingly challenging, with potential candidates turning down the opportunity.
Sportswire has confirmed that Cape Town Spurs coach Ernst Middendorp has rejected the approach from Usuthu, a revelation first reported by this website on Friday.
Middendorp was seen as a short-term solution to address the club’s internal issues, as there are rumors of certain players exerting undue influence within the team. This issue was previously touched upon by AmaZulu president Sandile Zungu following the departure of Brandon Truter last year.
Truter complained of players who conspired against him, leading to his dismissal, and stated that he would never work with some of those players again.
In addition to Middendorp, former AmaZulu coach Benni McCarthy has also declined the position. McCarthy recently returned to South Africa after leaving Manchester United as the Strikers’ Coach at the end of last season.
McCarthy coached Usuthu from December 2020 to March 2022, leading the club to a second-place finish in the 2020/21 season, their highest ever in the PSL. He was named the PSL Coach of the Season for that achievement.
AmaZulu is currently seeking a new coach after the sacking of Pablo Franco Martin a few days ago. The club’s poor start to the 2024/25 season, with three consecutive losses, has left them rooted at the bottom of the table, triggering to fire of the Spanish coach.
Whoever is appointed as the new coach will face a daunting task in turning around the club’s fortunes and achieving the goal of finishing in the top four.
For the time being, Siboniso Vilakazi, the club’s assistant coach, is leading the team during the MTN8 break and the upcoming FIFA break, where Bafana Bafana will play the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Congo.
After the break, Usuthu will face a challenging match against Orlando Pirates at Orlando Stadium on 25 October. AmaZulu has a disappointing record at Orlando Stadium, having never defeated Pirates there since the venue reopened in 2008. This will be a difficult hurdle for the new coach to overcome.
