Smiso Msomi
Royal AM coach John Maduka focused his energy on channelling the exuberance of the huge number of youngsters that occupy his team amid transfer ban uncertainty.
They about to enter a third transfer window with a ban imposed on them, restricting them from making any additions to their squad. Thwihli Thwahla survived the relegation drop on the final day of last season, narrowly avoiding disaster.
The Pietermaritzburg-based outfit has suffered the fallout from the chaotic administration of two seasons ago, when they went head-to-head with their former striker Samir Nurkovic. Although the Serbian forward now plays for TS Galaxy, he still has a case at Fifa regarding the R12 million he feels he is owed by the club.
After the football governing body’s decision to instruct Royal AM to pay the player the money, they also imposed a three-window ban on the club.
Maduka has watched a squad made up of largely DStv Diski Challenge players demonstrate enormous potential on their way to clinching the 2024 KZN Premier’s Cup.
Royal AM won their quarter-final via penalties against Milford FC, before running through AmaZulu for a 3-0 win in the semis and finished it off by beating Maritzburg United in the final via penalties. The 53-year-old mentor expressed that despite the club’s transfer conundrum, he remains upbeat after seeing what the club’s reserve players can do.
“Understanding the club’s situation, we can only do it with the boys in the Diski. They do have potential but we need to make sure we put them together with the experience we have and the energy they have,” he said.
“We are going to have a very difficult season and we have to make sure that these kids get used to it now so that when it gets tough, they already know.”
With the 2024/25 season set to kick off in under seven days, the club is forced to craft a strategy to be able to avoid being in the relegation discussion for the third season running.
Club captain Samuel Manganyi also spoke to the media at the KZN Premier’s Cup on Saturday and elected to call for calm among all involved.
“I wouldn’t say it’s difficult for me but we need to keep our calm because as players, we don’t really know what’s happening outside so we just need to focus on the field and do our job,” said Manganyi.
“We are ready. As a player you have to overcome everything because things on the side are not for us.”
He refused to dwell on the potential threat to their job security, saying: “It’s not for us to discuss because what we know is we have contracts and we are playing.”
Royal AM will return to action when the Betway Premiership kicks off on September 10.