Online ReporterSharuko on Saturday
IT’S normal that a part of me should love AmaZulu, you can call them Usuthu if you like, others used to call them Amaqhawe.
History reminds me that it’s a football club which represents the people who, at some point in my family lineage, were probably brothers, or sisters, of my forefathers.
Before my family settled here, where my father was born, and where I was also born, their home used to be in Chapata, Zambia.
Before they settled there, their home used to be in the rolling hills of the Magudu area of KwaZulu/Natal.
Then, at some point in their lives, Mfecane happened and they had to leave behind King Shaka and his kingdom on a journey into the unknown.
My people were under Zwangendaba.
Others were under King Mzilikazi and they ended up settling in western part of this country while Soshangane and his troops ended up in Mozambique.
Of course, the chapter of the life of my forefathers closed a long time ago.
For me, it’s all about this country, all its interests and glory, rather than a fascination with history.
If AmaZulu played AGAMA today, I will be supporting the Premiership newboys, because they represent my flag, which is more important than a nostalgic adventure into history.
But, still, that doesn’t mean I can’t have a soft spot for Usuthu.
Of course, this club did not exist when my forefathers were still alive and were roaming the rolling hills of Magudu and calling it home sweet home.
AmaZulu were established in 1932.
This means that the club were established almost 100 years after the great Mfecane migration which historians say took place between 1810 and 1840.
They were established eight years after Highlanders, who came into being in 1926 and, like Bosso, Usuthu had a royal connection from the word go with Zulu King Solomon changing its name to Zulu Royals.
He also added the shield, which is also prominent on the Bosso logo, to the Usuthu logo.
Two members of the Ndebele royal family — Prince Albert and Prince Rhodes, the grandsons of King Lobengula and the sons of Prince Njube, — were crucial in the formation of Highlanders.
Two members of the Zulu royal family —Prince Bayiskili and Prince Sitlela — were also crucial during the early years of AmaZulu.
Usuthu were there before the Big Three in South African football — Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns.
But, they have generally lived in the shadows of these giants and their success, to win the NPSL title in 1972, is an isolated island of success, in an ocean of failure, during the 94 years of their existence, in various forms.
Ironically, it came in the year Usuthu were celebrating their 40th anniversary.
They will be celebrating their century of existence, in their various forms, in six years’ time and I think the good money is on them not winning the league title between now and then.
There is no doubt that there has been remarkable progress at the club since businessman Sandile Zungu took over the club six years ago and came up with his 12-year plan to turn around this franchise.
They have since played in the CAF Champions League and they have become a stable side which no longer rely on buying a franchise to remain the Supa Diski.
I GET AN IMPRESSION THANDO IS NOT GETTING THE LOVE HE DESERVES
Their place in South African football history is secured — Cedric “Sugar Ray” Xulu, the victorious skipper of that Class of ’72, Joel Faya, known as The Horse, Eric Ngidi, known as “Nduna Kandaba” and Clive Baker, known as “The Dog.”
The other reason I have a soft spot for Usuthu is that they have a history of giving a home to Zimbabwean footballers.
The fact that they have always opened their doors to our footballers, including the great Francis Shonhayi, makes it easy, and certainly normal, for me to have a soft spot for them.
Right now, they are the home of Thando Ngwenya, the red-hot Warriors striker who has just matched a record in Supa Diski by scoring in the opening four league games of the season.
For twenty years, that record, set by Chris Katongo, who captained Zambia to AFCON glory in 2012, has been unchallenged despite all the good forwards who have played in Supa Diski.
Then, Thando came along and matched it.
And, if he scores for Usuthu in their next league match, the Warriors forward will take sole ownership of that record.
That’s not bad for a man who is only in his second season in the South African Premiership with the first season ending prematurely when he suffered a long-term injury.
But, despite missing the final two months of the season, he still ended as the top-scorer at AmaZulu with eight goals in all competitions and won the club’s Golden Boot award.
He has scored seven goals, in just four league games and one Cup match, already this season, just one shy of his contribution the entire campaign, last season, which was the best return by an AmaZulu player.
But, despite all this, I get a feeling that Thando isn’t getting the love, which he thoroughly deserves, for serving AmaZulu with distinction ever since his arrival at the club.
I even get a feeling that his coach, Arthur Zwane, a man I have respected since his playing days and when he graduated into the coaching trenches, doesn’t give him the love that he deserves.
When Thando scored his fourth goal of the season in three games, in the 1-1 draw against Pirates, Zwane decided to launch a scathing attack on the forward.
“If you are an offensive player, you think about going forward; you pass and go because, as a striker, you want to see goals, but now if you become LAZY, I have a problem with you,” said Zwane.
“So I was telling him (Thando) that I don’t deal with LAZY players.
“Yes, you can score for us, but if you don’t work off the ball and work for us to create goals, then it’s not going to work because in this league, you need sharp shooters, and he’s got the potential to do that, but sometimes he becomes a LAZY thinker.”
Wow!
THE HERO MISSING FROM HIS CLUB’S SOCIAL MEDIA FOOTPRINTS
In that match, Thando’s challenge ended up injuring Pirates midfielder Sihle Ndluli, who was also coming from a long-term injury.
Admittedly, it was a bad challenge and Thando, always the perfect gentleman and a regular victim of injuries himself, rightly decided to apologise to the Pirates man.
Given that the incident came at a time of heightened tension, when KZN was a hotbed of anti-immigrant crusades, some crazy folks chose to look into the incident using lenses which told them that the injury had been inflicted by a Zimbabwean footballer.
So, poor Thando even received some death threats from some faceless cowards.
I thought this was the moment that Thando really needed the public protection of his coach.
Well, this is how Zwane reacted to the incident.
“Nduli, man, I don’t like seeing a player coming back from a long-term injury only to get injured again,” said Zwane.
“He is such a talent, and it is unfortunate to see him injured again. Our player could have done much better in that situation. I wish him a speedy recovery.”
Wow!
But, that’s just a tip of what really concerns me.
The official AmaZulu Facebook page is the face of the club in an era where more eyeballs are on social media platforms than on the official website.
I would have expected that, given the excitement related to Thando’s return from injury, and all the promise he showed last season, he would be a prime subject in the club’s pre-season coverage, especially on Facebook.
But, the club didn’t even post a picture of Thando during their pre-season even though their top striker was coming back from long-term injury.
From the first picture of pre-season, in June, which they posted on Facebook, to the last picture they had posted by Thursday evening, excluding birthday pictures and other promotional stuff, the club have posted 147 pictures about their players.
Of those 147 pictures, only FOUR pictures of Thando have been posted on the club’s official Facebook page.
How is it possible that the man, who has scored FIVE of your SIX goals in the league, receives the least visibility when it comes to the promotion of his image, on the club’s official Facebook page?
How is it possible that the man, who has scored SEVEN of the club’s EIGHT GOALS, in all competitions, receives the least visibility on the club’s official Facebook page?
On Wednesday night, he matched a 20-year-old record.
The expectation was to see the club celebrating that with his picture and his achievement on their Facebook page but there was nothing, completely nothing, of that sort.
If you check carefully, you will see that his image has also been used on the occasions the club doesn’t win — the draw against Pirates, the loss to Sundowns and the loss to Sekhukhune in the Cup.
Look for Thando’s picture from the AmaZulu awards night, with his certificate and Golden Boot medal, on the club’s official Facebook page, and you won’t find it.
You will find everyone else, including those who were not even there and were honoured, but you won’t find any featuring Thando, including in the group photos.
His agents, Prosport International, were the ones who ended up posting him with his awards on their Facebook page.
It’s hard to find any justification for this.
To God Be The Glory!
Peace to the GEPA Chief, the Big Fish, George Norton, Daily Service, Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse and all the Chakariboys in the struggle.
Come on Warriors!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Antoniooooooooo!
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