AmaZulu president Sandile Zungu has explained why the club cleared out 15 of its players and also responded to claims made by Augustine Mulenga that he was told his contract would be extended.
Usuthu released 15 players last week, including Mulenga, with the decision surprising many after his performances for the club.
Zungu explained that they needed to cut their squad because they had bumped it up for the CAF Champions League and needed to tone it down after failing to qualify for any continental football next season.
“When we came on board with AmaZulu two years ago, we never sold a single player,” Zungu told Andile Ncube on Sports Night Amplified.
“Quite honestly, we did so well in the first season that we qualified for CAF Champions League and we went to the transfer market to bolster the team.
“The only person that we lost was Mabiliso, who signed for Kaizer Chiefs. But we went out for people who had CAF Champions League experience. So we ended up with a team of about 34 players, excluding the youngsters who are at MDC.
“I did make it very clear, if we cannot defend our number two or number three position or win the CAF Champions League, then we’d be faced with a situation where we’re not competing in the continent and we’re just in the local competitions and we’ll nit need 34 players.
“I made it clear that I’d go for the best 20 in the crop and then I’d go in the transfer market to 28, I said a maximum of 28 and that’s exactly what we did. We looked at the teams’ performance and a whole lot of factors, including the system that we’d deploy next season, including the trades in the athletes that we need.
“We sat down and said this one fits perfectly into our plans, this one doesn’t. Also bearing in mind we’re building for the future, we’re not just building for 2022/23 and hence we took the decision that certain players we will not extend their contracts, some we’ll give clearance and some we’ll lose to other teams like Siyethemba and Xoki going to Chiefs and Pirates respectively.
“And then we’ll be going to to the transfer market, already we’ve signed seven players that we’ll be making public in the next week or so.”
Zungu then also discussed Mulenga’s special situation after the player picked up a serious injury and went home to Zambia for his recovery.
“First of all, all the players that have been let go, we’ve deep appreciation that they’ve played in AmaZulu, some more than others,” he continued.
“Mulenga is one of those players who gave it his all. He’s prawn to injuries and it just so happened that when he got injured, he decided to go home to Zambia.
“There are certain limitations what the insurance companies that we take cover for can do, depending on one’s location. Those are issues that are known by players when they decide to go home and recover from home.
“Mulenga is one of those that chose to go home and then it is our express wish that his recovery is not compromised. That notwithstanding, I never assured anyone a place. Up until next week, I told everyone, including player agents, who asked ‘are we gonna get an extension?’ I said ‘no, play the game, the last game of Arrows, it’s only then when we’re going to decide.
“And I was not compromising and I was not discriminating against anyone, they were all getting a uniformed message, Mulenga included.”
When asked whether he did indeed have a one-on-one meeting with the striker, as claimed by Mulenga who insisted Zungu had told him his contract would be extended, the Usuthu president dismissed the player’s point of view.
“I’m not gonna be the one to contradict a person whose interview I did not hear,” he explained.
“Also these are professionals who I as president of AmaZulu must endeavour to respect and not contradict. What he said to you, I didn’t hear. All I can assure you, is I respect all the individuals as professionals and even now I can give an assurance that his recovery I’ve a very good interest in.
“I want him to fully recover, whether to the benefit of AmaZulu or the future team that he plays for, it’s important that he recovers, because he is a professional.
“But I can assure you that if there is an attempt to present AmaZulu as an un-caring organisation, such will need to be dismissed with absolute contempt because it’s devoid of any truth.”
