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| Leader of the green revolution: Craig Rosslee |
Explain this: Ten months ago, AmaZulu were marooned at the bottom
of the PSL. Today, they are level on points at the top of South African fooball.
It’s the kind of turnaround which creates legends in Europe.
But in South Africa, AmaZulu’s rise from the ashes has gone almost unnoticed.
The key to the AmaZulu revolution is the coach Craig
Rosslee, a former Hellenic, Santos and Cape Town Spurs defender who went on to
coach Ajax Cape Town and played a major part in Orlando Pirates first treble as
assistant to Ruud Krol in 2009/2010.
When Rosslee took over AmaZulu in November last year, the famous
cries of Usuthu! were muted. The club had managed just nine points from 12
games under Swedish boss Roger Palmgren and they trailed behind Chippa United
and Leopards, the clubs destined for relegation. Under Rosslee, they took 20
points from their remaining 18 games to secure safety in 12th
position.
This season they have 11 points from their first five games
and share the top of the PSL with SuperSport United, Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi
Sundowns and Moroka Swallows.
Rosslee, also an accomplished television analyst, told me on
my football show BOLLOCKZ! on Ballz visual radio (see video at the foot of this story): “Ten months! Obviously my
first task was to keep the club up last season. We had nine points when I
arrived, we got clear of relegation, we ended safely in mid-table.
“At the end of the season we decided to make some changes.
We shipped out 17 players, brought in 15. We only kept a handful of the old
players.
“At this point in time it’s a work in progress. The aim is
to get the players to gel, to get them playing together. It’s coming along
nicely now. We’re doing it in a very professional way, we have character, guys
who do the work. That’s what we’re looking for.
“If this squad can apply themselves, both on and off the
field, I see a great future for the club.”
In charge of one of South Africa’s oldest clubs (founded in
1932 only Wits University (1921) is older), Rosslee grins: “Remember I played
for AmaZulu, like you I remember the Joel Fayas. This job is more about what I
can give back than what I can take from this club.
“The Royal Family back us, the people look to us. Things
stagnated. South African football in general has to find a way to move forward,
and we have a duty to encourage development too.
“We’re lacking goals in this country. How do we address
that? I’m happy to work on that generally, with all the other clubs.
“We have to find goals. Look at Gavin Hunt at Wits. He’s
spoiled for choice up front but still doesn’t get them. How do we get players
to score goals?
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| Hot shot: Ayanda Dlamini |
“I need strikers who can score more than five goals a
season. I have to get goals from other positions too if we’re not going to get
15 or 20 goals out of a striker. We need wide men to can put the ball in the
right place.
“Apart from Bongani Ndulula, our predominant target man is Ayanda
Dlamini, he took a while to get on centre stage, he’s 28 now. But he’s getting
the goals that get us out of trouble. He’s a fantastic finisher.
“You have to work with the strikers, get them to hit the
target, hit the target. Because often that’s not done at the development stage
you know.
“The fact of the matter is we’ve still got to work on these
lads, get them to develop their skills while they’re playing at the top level
of football in South Africa.”
With a near-fullhouse at the Moses Mabhida stadium in Durban
on Saturday to witness Platinum Stars’ surprise penalty shoot-out MTN8 final win
over Orlando Pirates, Rosslee believes a successful AmaZulu can awake the
dormant fans in the port city.
He insists: “I would love to see the stadium full for games
against all sides in the PSL. I believe if we play the right brand of football
we can do that. That needs to be reflected across the country. Play attacking
football and the fans will come.”
BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za, airs every Thursday from 10am-noon. See the Ballz channel on Youtube for our growing collection of interviews like the one above.
You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal and Pray” column every Tuesday inwww.thenewage.co.za.
BOLLOCKZ! is backed by www.topodds.com - have a look at their site for my latest sports betting advice!
I am happy to see a young South African coach doing well with the country's oldest team. Now the only thing that has to change is for people of KZN to stop supporting the Gauteng teams. It's time to support your home boys.
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