ROYAL AM head coach John Maduka has insisted that the Fifa transfer ban imposed on the club has made a significant contribution towards making his squad a stronger team.
The KwaZulu-Natal Premiership outfit have been unable to sign players for the last three transfer windows, having been banned by world football’s governing body for previous transgressions.
While the matter is still pending and being deliberated, Maduka has had to make do with the group of players he currently has at his disposal, one that is getting younger by the season.
The club have had to call on their academy players and keep hold of some of their experienced ones to have any chance of competing in the top division.
Despite losing four senior players in the transfer window, ‘Thwihli Thwahla’ have yet to taste defeat in their opening three games in the league.
Maduka has seen his men hold on for three consecutive draws against Cape Town City, SuperSport United and, on Tuesday night, Richards Bay at the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg.
Many had tipped Royal AM to possibly succumb to at least two defeats in those opening fixtures, but they have proven already that they are in for a dogfight this season.
Speaking after their stalemate against Richards Bay, Maduka said that having his squad uninterrupted by new signings, and the situation the club currently face, has improved the continuation and chemistry of his squad.
“These boys are working hard, and we motivate them and make them understand the importance of becoming a team because if they are a team, it’s going to be very difficult to break them,” he said.
“You can have very good players but not a team, but you can have average players.
“It helps a lot (that they’ve been together for several seasons). When you play together for a long time, the understanding is easy.”
Maduka elaborated on how they’ve tried to keep the togetherness, while also bedding in some of the younger players who have shone for his team both this season and last.
“Even with the diski boys (Diski Challenge), a player like (Nkosivumile) Zulu, we gave these youngsters a chance when they were still at diski to come to train with us and go back, so because of that, it makes our job a little bit easy.
⚫️🟡 90 minutes, 0-0 Draw.
MOTM Khulekani Shezi pic.twitter.com/OZWvKCKvo4
“Of course, it helps to reinforce having a goal-scorer or a midfield player that can be influential, but these players know what is expected from them.”
On Saturday, Maduka will undoubtedly target promoted Magesi FC as a team that will give them a good chance to win their first game of the season.
The Limpopo side have found things tough so far in the big league after defeats to Sekhukhune United and Polokwane City, before last night’s clash with Golden Arrows, and will look to dispel insinuations that they may be walkovers.