In a recent match against neighbors AmaZulu, Royal AM’s coach, John Maduka, defended the decision to start club chairman Andile Mpisane, despite the team suffering a 3-0 defeat. This marked Mpisane’s first start in top-flight football, and it was only his second appearance of the season.
Coach John Maduka Justifies Andile Mpisane playing
Maduka justified Mpisane’s inclusion, stating that the chairman, like any other player in the squad, deserves the opportunity to start matches. Despite the challenging nature of the game, Maduka emphasized the importance of providing chances for all players, including those in leadership positions.
“The chairman deserves, you know, to play and to start a game. There are many times when it’s always difficult, but he had a chance to play and we have to also give him a chance to play,” said Maduka.
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Match Highlights
AmaZulu dominated the match, securing a 3-0 lead within the first 32 minutes. Mpisane was substituted at halftime, with Sibusiso Magaqa taking over the central midfield role. The second half saw an improvement in Royal AM’s performance, particularly in the midfield, where Magaqa contributed significantly.
Andile Mpisane in the DSTV Premier-Image Source@XTactical Changes
Maduka clarified that despite the substitutions, the team did not alter its playing style. The changes were attributed to the experience of the players introduced during the second half, allowing them to adapt seamlessly to the game’s conditions.
“As much as we made those changes, it’s not like we changed how we play, we still stuck to our structure and the way we played,” defended Maduka.
“The players we introduced, yes, they came right, they are people that had been playing before, so it was easy for them to also adapt to the game and the situation on the field of play.”
Analysis of Mistakes
Maduka acknowledged that the goals conceded were a result of mistakes, emphasizing that in professional football, opponents capitalize on errors. He stressed the significance of avoiding mistakes, especially in crucial areas, as they can lead to unfavourable outcomes. Despite the three-goal deficit, Maduka maintained that Royal AM facilitated their opponent’s success by making avoidable errors.
“So we can’t say we got it wrong [with the starting line-up] – if you look at the goals, and analyze the game well, the goals we conceded were mistakes, and in professional football, teams wait for you to make mistakes and then punish you.”
“And if you make mistakes in a crucial area, you’ve got no chance – and that’s exactly what happened. As much as they scored [three] goals, I think we made things easier for them.”