AmaZulu co-coach Arthur Zwane has expressed his joy at having Betway Premiership fixtures played over the festive season, a stark contrast to the breaks that occurred in the past.
Over the last two seasons, domestic football has provided entertainment throughout December, with the PSL following in the footsteps of Europe's Top 5 leagues.
In England and other prominent European leagues, for example, the Boxing Day fixture serves as a significant drawcard. Similarly, in cricket, the Boxing Day slot is the most sought-after. The 2024/25 season will see no exceptions, as clubs such as Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Stellenbosch seek to juggle their busy continental schedules with their domestic interests.
📽️🟢⚪️ Bongani Zungu sits down with us for his first interview in our green and white colours 💬#ThatsPower #HebeUsuthu #UsuthuTogether pic.twitter.com/osK2gKQICO
Although AmaZulu does not face a congested schedule, Zwane, who has revitalised the club's fortunes since arriving in October alongside Kanu Vilakazi, is pleased with the continuation of the domestic league. The former Kaizer Chiefs head coach explained how the imitation of top leagues contributes to the professionalism of the league’s players.
He further highlighted the need for he and Vilakazi to demand full focus during this critical period, as the club aims to ascend the league standings.
“As South Africans, we have this mentality of relaxing when things are rosy for us; there is no time for that,” said Zwane.
“I’m happy that we're playing in December, playing on the 24th, and then it's Christmas. We need to change our players’ mindset; they need to know that this is business — we’re in the business of football.”
“We're playing on the 29th; I wish we were also playing on the first (January) like overseas so we can get the professionalism to a better level and rid ourselves of this hype around December.”
Zwane added, “We made our players aware of the importance of grinding results now in December so we can get ourselves out of the situation that we're in.”
AmaZulu will face Mamelodi Sundowns Tuesday, hoping to secure their fourth win in five games while improving upon their current 13th place standing. This encounter will be followed by a challenging trip to the Western Cape to face Cape Town City, before returning for a KwaZulu-Natal derby battle against Golden Arrows in the new year.
The Durban-based outfit has demonstrated visible improvements under the new coaching duo, with several players – who were sidelined at the start of the season – finding new life under their guidance. The likes of Rowan Human, Ethan Brooks, and Pule Ekstein have exhibited great enthusiasm in leaving a lasting impression in the club’s history, already making notable contributions.
Despite the tough opposition posed by the Brazilians, the future appears brighter for AmaZulu as they push to fulfil their top eight ambitions in this season's campaign.