Royal AM coach John Maduka says it will be painful to see clubs sign players in this January transfer window while he can’t because of the FIFA worldwide ban.
The KwaZulu-Natal club can’t sign players now due to the FIFA ban that was imposed in the next two transfer windows after unlawfully terminating the contract of Samir Nurkovic.
Shauwn Mkhize’s club was found guilty by FIFA of not being honest with the player, letting him go without a settlement.
The player won the matter via the world governing football body, as he felt he was within his rights and the club was not fair in their approach.
Royal AM tried to see the matter overturned via the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland, but that was not the case.
As it is now, they can’t sign or register new players until the start of next season.
“It is,” replied Maduka when asked how painful it will be to see other clubs sign players and he can’t.
“Especially you know there is nothing you can do. You must work with whatever you have. What can you do? You continue with what you have.
“But like I said, I’m so happy and so proud of the boys the way they have responded. They have been working very hard. We never just said because we are not going to sign players, we are sitting down and relaxing, no. Everyone did write us off.
“But we are not off, we are coming, and we are coming close. We played our 15th game, and we have got 18 points, we will keep on pushing.”
Royal AM closed off 2023 with a 3-0 loss to AmaZulu at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on 29 December, where they were pulled apart by Pablo Franco Martin’s side, especially in the first half.
Royal AM, on top of the FIFA ban, had to face talks of being in the market which MaMkhize has refuted several times along with players not being paid.
The club also left their venue at Chatsworth Stadium in Durban to play home games at Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg, the venue of Maritzburg United for years, who were then removed by Msunduzi municipality after they were relegated at the end of last season.
Royal AM signed a three-year sponsorship with the municipality which has not gone well with DA in KZN capital, taking the matter to court.
Maduka, who was reappointed by the club in February last year, is content with how the club has responded to all these issues.
“We are happy with the improvement that we see in our team,” said Maduka, who took Royal AM to third place finish in the 2021/22 season.
“We are playing against teams that have signed players. But if you look at the log itself, those that have signed, we are one point different.”
Royal AM finished the first round of the season positioned 14th in the DStv Premiership.
