It does not require Albert Einstein’s intellect to realise that John Maduka has been building something big for his coaching career and Royal AM. The former Malawian captain recently won the DStv Premiership coach of the month February/March award, a first in his coaching career.
It is a reward for turning Royal AM from another new kid on the block into a Nedbank Cup semifinalist and a serious contender for the DStv Premiership top two slots, which guarantees CAF Champions League football next season.
Royal AM emerged from the ashes of Bloemfontein Celtic, which sold its Premiership status to Shauwn Mkhize, who inherited the squad and saw the wisdom in keeping faith in coach Maduka. In return, Maduka has, like a seasoned builder, been constructing Royal AM, brick-by-brick and step-by-step in perhaps living true to the meaning of his surname, which in Malawi vernacular means pieces of bricks.
It is a reward for a man whose life has always revolved around three pillars of patience, family and hard work, with his being a devout Muslim an added ingredient. Reflecting on his career, Maduka said: “You have to be patient, disciplined and work hard, but above all, you need family on your side.”
Suppose his strong faith in Allah keeps him on the straight and narrow of discipline. In that case, his family keeps him grounded, never forgetting the long road he has travelled from Malawi, England, Norway, Zimbabwe, and then South Africa, where he eventually settled.
And of course, Maduka is, according to former Celtic midfielder Fischer Kondowe, an epitome of patience, never rushing for opportunities. “I played with Maduka in Malawi national team,” Kondowe told FARPost.
“He was a veteran in the team, and I was new, but what struck me the most was his humility, patience and discipline. He is not the sort that is in a hurry and overly ambitious for big positions. He waits for his time and his turn to
come. That is what is happening now in his career.
“That he is disciplined is an understatement. When we talk about ill-discipline among footballers, we usually focus on drinking and partying, but it is more than that with him. He brings another dimension that discipline
can also mean how you speak, relate with others and dress.”
Everything about Maduka’s football career as a player and now a trainer has been methodical—nothing is hurried, let alone forced. Maduka said he has always believed in planning his career path and executing that plan prayerfully with patience, resilience and hard work.
“My religion, Islam, has also helped me a lot. It teaches me to be disciplined and stay grounded,” Maduka said. He is at Royal AM because he clung to a financially sinking ship that was Celtic even when perks were not assured, and the squad was threadbare.
He was the last Celtic man standing even when his family has always been based in Durban throughout his career with the team. That Royal AM is based in the coastal city of Durban is an added advantage for the father of two, according to his Lilongwe-based brother-in-law Kim Kamau.
“He is thriving because of being even closer to his family because he is a family man. Maduka is a quiet man, and money is not everything, but loyalty is. If he worked just for money, he could have left Celtic a long time
ago and found a closer team to Durban. His faith as a Muslim also keeps him humble,” Kamau said.
He said Maduka’s father and mother are happy with his latest exploits, adding that they are also keeping their fingers crossed that their son should finally win a trophy in South Africa. Religious beliefs and the other virtues proved handy when Maduka signed a professional with Bush Bucks around 1995. He earned a decent salary compared to what he was pocketing in Malawi at childhood club Silver Strikers.
“When I came to South Africa, I used to earn more, and if I didn’t get the right advice, money could have taken me out of my way thinking I was on top of the world,” he said. “You know most of us, players, don’t come from rich families, and when we get such kind of money, we tend to be rude and stop listening to advice.”
Maduka was born in Thyolo and was raised by his grandparents as his parents had relocated to the capital city, Lilongwe. He eventually followed his parents to Lilongwe, where he kick-started his football career, starting with Davie Cosmos, whose owner Davie Saccur spotted the young striker in action for Lilongwe Boys Primary School team in 1989.
Blantyre-based Mighty Wanderers got wind of the raw talent of Maduka. Still, they somehow dragged their feet in the process giving Lilongwe giants, Silver Strikers, an opportunity to snatch the player in 1990. Maduka opted for Silver because he could not imagine relocating from Lilongwe away from his parents. He featured for Silver until1995 when he secured trials at English side Preston NorthEnd FC, but he did not make it.
Maduka left England for Norway, where he signed for Strindheim, playing for them for a season before returning to Africa to sign for Black Aces in Zimbabwe. Maduka crossed the Limpopo River and found a permanent home at
Umtata Bush Bucks a year later. He established himself, alongside Mugeyi brothers Wilfred and William, as an attacking machine that won the Coca-Cola Cup.
Somehow, Buck Bucks started choking and disbanded in 2003, leaving Maduka with no choice but to find a new home. He signed for Zulu Royal before finding another permanent home at Celtic around 2004. He continued his playing career as an attacking midfielder and then defensive midfielder until 2009, when he hung his boots.
At Celtic, Maduka assumed the role of team manager serving and learning patiently under coaches such as Clinton Larsen, Ernest Middendorp and a few years ago, Steve Komphela. When Komphela jumped ship, Celtic appointed Lehlohonolo Seema and Maduka as co-coaches, with the Malawian taking full charge of Siwelele
when the former Orlando Pirates defender quit.
That he is delivering the goods with ‘Thwihli Thwahla’ should not come as a surprise because he achieved remarkable progress while at Celtic last season. He took Celtic to the Nedbank Cup final, where they lost 1-0 to Sundowns, and MTN 8 Cup final, where he lost 2-1 to Pirates in the final.
Now, into his third season as a full coach, Maduka is determined to pay back the faith MaMkhize has shown in him at Royal AM. “I thank my chairlady Shauwn MamKhize Mkhize for giving me this opportunity and believing in me with such a big task. We aim to finish in the top eight and fight in the Nedbank Cup. We are working well together, and
the future is bright,” Maduka said.
That hints of greatness are emerging in Maduka’s coaching career should not be surprising because he must have success in his DNA. After all, he shares his home of origin Thyolo District, located a few kilometres from Blantyre, with successful figures in Malawi society such as former Kaizer Chiefs captain Patrick Mabedi, Malawi’s former presidents Bingu wa Mutharika and Peter Mutharika.
By Peter Kanjere
