Ex-AmaZulu FC coach Romain Folz: ‘All he needs is to have clarity’
Ex-AmaZulu FC and Marumo Gallants head coach Romain Folz has spoken glowingly about one of South Africa’s stars plying their trade in East Africa.
Folz arrived in South Africa in 2022 when he landed the Marumo Gallants head coach job. But he did last long at the club as he resigned, citing excessive interference from management.
He was later lured to AmaZulu FC, where he sadly found himself under pressure due to poor results. Folz parted ways with Usuthu in June 2023, when he was the team’s technical director.
But it is at Marumo Gallants that he worked with the SA star now plying his trade in East Africa, Mahlatse ‘Skudu’ Makudubela.
FOLZ SPEAKS GLOWINGLY OF MAKUDUBELA
Makudubela is currently in the books of Tanzanian giants Young Africans. And Folz, has spoken glowingly of the qualities possessed by the firebrand winger.
The former Orlando Pirates star has not enjoyed much game time at Young Africans under Miguel Gamondi. But Folz maintains that the 34-year-old is exceptional and a rare breed.
“He is a very good man, a very good player. For many reasons, but the reality is that he is honest and disciplined, that’s extremely important for a professional player,” Folz told FARPost.
“And he is genuine. What you see on him is genuine. He is someone who understands the meaning of what he does on the field, he understands.
“Yes, you see him do tricks in the game here and there, but if you look at his understanding of the game, his desire to understand the game as a whole could amaze you.
“Skudu is a consummate professional. He became the first South African to play in the Tanzania league for that reason. He’s being rewarded for being professional.
“He is very much open, and to me, a player like him, for the short time I had him in Gallants, people were trying to make him think that I don’t want him.
“He came to me honestly and said, coach ‘, I heard that’, and I looked at him, and I told him to come to me directly, and I can tell you the truth.
“A player like that is capable of making a difference for you. He can make a difference for you offensively.”
ALL ‘SKUDU’ NEEDS IS CLARITY
Folz added: “The fact you have a player like that means you have to make him understand how to use the skills for the benefit of the team, not himself alone.
“He is talented. The reality is that if you manage to find him in the right spot, on and off the ball, he can give you lots.
“The reality is that if your instructions are that don’t do this, play like this, then he is going to play against his nature. He is going to become less offensive, and you are probably going to have a player that is unhappy.
“In reality he is a player that is easy to satisfy because all he needs is to have clarity. During my time there at Gallants, he was starting to get some game time because he was working very hard.”
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