Royal AM coach John Maduka is saddened to have seen the opportunity to sign Nkanyiso Zungu slip through his fingers due to the club serving the FIFA transfer ban.
Zungu, who was training with the club the whole pre-season and also attended the club’s home matches, left to train AmaZulu, his former club, with Maduka saying he understands why he elected to leave.
But it appears AmaZulu coach Pablo Franco Martin, unlike Maduka, has other ideas, with Zungu not part of the training with Usuthu when the club invited the media on Wednesday.
But Zungu took part to play a friendly match for AmaZulu against Royal AM during the FIFA break and Maduka says he has no qualm to see the former Stellenbosch midfielder leave because of their situation.
“Yes, he left and I think he went to AmaZulu and he played against us in a friendly match,” Maduka told iDiski Times.
“Of course he did speak to us knowing about our situation and it was not going to be fair of us to try and hold on to him because we are in a very tricky situation.
“So we don’t want to stress the player that has done very well with us and he is one of the players that we were going to have in our books because he did so well when he was with us.”
Zungu was at his best during the Prince Mangosuthu Legacy Cup as Royal AM beat AmaZulu in the pre-season tournament in Ulundi in honour of the now late struggle activist Mangosuthu Buthelezi.
“Apart from that, the attitude at training, the work rate at training, he was something else,” added Maduka.
“You can see he wants to play football. So when he was with us, he was a boy that wanted to play football but it is unfortunate that we couldn’t have him.”
Zungu is currently a free agent after he was let go by Orlando Pirates, who did not renew his contract at the end of last season.
He was on loan at Richards Bay last term, but he was released before the season ended due to off-the-field issues.
As much as he has had a career that has been troublesome, Maduka said if Royal AM‘s ban saga ends soon he will jump at the opportunity to sign him.
“I would do that,” he said without hesitation.
“He did well with us, he enjoyed it also. You saw how he was enjoying himself. He fitted well with the way we play because we are a team that wants to play football but good football with a purpose.
“But if any opportunity comes, why not.”
