John Maduka explains what he’s had to fix at Royal AM since his return
Royal AM head coach John Maduka has pointed out what he has set right at Thwihli Thwahla since his return to the club.
Maduka left AM at the end of the last DStv Premiership season to join Maritzburg United. However, he returned almost halfway through this season.
His re-appointment was after the dismantling of the co-coaching of Khabo Zondo and Abram Nteo.
Maduka says Royal AM were chopping and changing the team prior to his return. He believes this was the main cause for their inconsistency.
He also mentioned poor fitness as one of the issues he had to deal with to make sure the players last 90 minutes.
JOHN MADUKA ON WHAT HE HAS FIXED SINCE REJOINING ROYAL AM
“When I joined, you could see the team wasn’t that fit,” said Maduka.
“The games that I watched, they could play maybe up to 40, 50 minutes, after that drop the performance.
“So, that was one area that we had to improve. And again try to make them understand the importance of being a team that wins together, a team that loses together.
“Also, there was more inconsistency of the team whereby it was more of up and down. You win one game and you lose three.
“So, that also contributed a lot…it takes confidence away also from the players. So, those are some of the things that when I joined the team, I found that they were happening.
“And again, I think at that time, they didn’t have a team that played consistently week in and week out. As much as you want to change the team but you can’t change each and every game.
“You play the same players because if I play this game today and see how I played and the next game I’m taken out, I’m not gonna improve.
“If I play this game, I’m looking to the upcoming game that any mistake that I’ve made in this game, I must be able to improve in the next game. I thought also they changed the team a lot.
“That’s why you couldn’t find a team that was consistent, a team that you could say that which one is the first eleven or first 18, you couldn’t tell.
“So, those are the things that when I joined the team we changed. That’s why you could see even in the first six, seven games or so we did well. I think we were unbeaten in those games.
“You could see there was something good coming alright.”
‘WE HAVE TO MINIMISE MISTAKES’ – JOHN MADUKA
Royal AM have played 13 matches in all competitions since Maduka returned. Of those, they have won five, drawn four and lost four.
The Malawian tactician has also lamented costly mistakes as his side seems to have lost form lately.
“And again the games that we have lost, the boys have improved a lot,” he continued.
“It’s only our mistakes at times, we have to minimise mistakes because we have been punished from our mistakes.
“In this league, you make mistakes, you get punished. So, it’s something we have to improve.”
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