Arthur Zwane embraces challenge of building young AmaZulu side

Usuthu head into the FIFA international break with eight points from a possible 15 in the Betway Premiership. 

While their MTN8 elimination was a setback, Zwane is encouraged by the team’s progress compared to last season.

The coach believes that despite the early exit from the cup competition, their start to the league campaign is an improvement, even with a younger group of players under his guidance.

"I think we need to focus on the squad we have. We need to work on our squad, we don't have to panic. I think this time last season with more quality and experienced players, if I may put it that way, the team, I think the first three games if not four games, we lost all of them, if my memory serves me well,” Zwane said.

“This time around, we have played our game number five and we already collected eight points and there's lot of positives to be quite honest. When you look at last season we were struggling because we were not getting good results with better players. 

“This season, a much younger team and we're getting points away. We've won two games at home, only lost to Sundowns. As much as we are a work in progress, we also want to grind results and as I said, we had an opportunity to at least put ourselves in a better position early in the season. 

“But at the same time it could have been a situation that was gonna put us under pressure and you can see, playing with youngsters sometimes they bound to crack under pressure but I think they'll grow, game by game."

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Zwane was adamant that AmaZulu do not need to rush into the transfer market for solutions, with the coach keeping faith in what’s been assembled. 

"We will look at which areas we need to add if we have to but I still believe in them. They need to be given time, I think if we start looking, if we are to have a few additions to our squad it will be a case of maybe waiting for the January open window and for now I think these players deserve to be given the opportunity then we'll take it from there."