AmaZulu head coach Pablo Franco Martin has opened up about his first season at the helm, reflecting on the challenges and learnings he’s experienced in South African football.

Appointed by president Sandile Zungu in July 2023, Martin enters the final matchday with a chance to secure a top-eight finish for Usuthu.

The former Real Madrid assistant coach offered a candid perspective on South Africa’s coaching scene, describing it as “messy” with unique expectations. He elaborated on the need for coaches to manage aspects beyond tactics, making the environment more demanding.

“I think here you need to pay attention, to control many things which you are expected not to have to control when you are a head coach so from that side you could say, messy as an adjective,” detailed Martin.  

Despite the initial challenges, Martin highlighted the valuable learning opportunities he’s gained. He emphasized the importance of understanding the diverse cultures, capabilities, and mentalities of South African players, as well as the unique workings of the league and club.

“From there also I think it was an important period for me to learn many things about the culture, the capacity and the mentality of the players and how things work in South African football and our club,” said Martin.  

The Spanish coach characterized his DStv Premiership season as a tale of two halves. He expressed satisfaction with Usuthu’s first-round performance, where they secured 18 points and settled comfortably in 12th position after 15 games. However, despite currently holding a higher ninth-place position with one game remaining, Martin believes the first half was stronger.

“I was truly happy with our performance up to the end of 2023,” Martin said. “We were among the best teams in terms of playing style and results. But like most teams, I think we dropped off a bit in the second half of the year.”

Usuthu has managed to collect eight points from their last five games, including a draw against high-flying Stellenbosch and another against Kaizer Chiefs.

“One of the things I’m most proud of is how the team has recovered mentally and tactically,” Martin remarked. “We’ve made adjustments, and now we’re competing again and finishing the season in a positive frame of mind and a good position.”

Usuthu sets their sights on a thrilling derby clash against Golden Arrows this Saturday (15:00) in their final game of the season. Their hopes for a top-eight finish hinge on securing a win against Arrows at Moses Mabhida Stadium, while also requiring Kaizer Chiefs to drop points against relegated Cape Town Spurs.