Royal AM will not appoint a new coach to replace Dan Malesela, club boss Shauwn ‘Ma’ Mkhize has confirmed.
Mkhize says things will remain as they are with Abram Nteo and Khabo Zondo continuing as co-coaches at Royal AM after the departure of Dan Malesela.
The latter was appointed as Royal AM coach at the beginning of the season to form the trio with Nteo and Zondo.
But Malesela left the club recently to join Marumo Gallants, saying it wasn’t working to work as co-coaches because there was a clash of thoughts and also he was going to lose his style of play.
However, MaMkhize is showing faith in Nteo and Zondo to continue leading the club in all domestic competitions and the CAF Confederation Cup.
“I don’t need anyone and what I have, we are fine,” MaMkhize said in short.
Royal AM, who beat Mbabane Highlanders in the first qualifying round, will host Zambian side ZESCO United on 9 October at the Moses Mabhida Stadium in the first leg of the second round.
The return leg against ZESCO will be a week later in Zambia in a venue yet to be confirmed by the Zambia giants.
ZESCO has more experience than Royal AM in Africa. They previously reached the CAF Champions League semi-final in 2016, losing to Mamelodi Sundowns, who went on to win the Champions League for the first time in the club’s history.
Meanwhile, all the success Royal AM has accumulated in the short space of time since MaMkhize bought the premier division status of Bloemfontein Celtic ahead of last season was almost too fast for their president.
“For me, Royal AM has grown very quickly because I never expected to be number three on the log last season and go and play in Africa,” she said.
“It was too big for us because remember we wanted stability, we wanted a top eight and to compete. But now we are here and we can’t take anything away.
“What we need to do is to do our best and see where it takes us. That’s why we said let’s have a bigger squad at the beginning of the season so that we won’t suffer any fatigue.”
Royal AM’s next game will be a trip to SuperSport United in the DStv Premiership on Tuesday.
Story by Robin-Duke Madlala (@duke_robin).
