Former AmaZulu FC coach Romain Folz reminisces about his time in South Africa, pinpointing a 4-0 win over Kaizer Chiefs as his most memorable game.
Folz isn’t boasting; rather, he’s keen to guide football lovers through the tactical blueprint that led to the historic victory for Usuthu.
He dissects the famous win, emphasising tactical execution rather than individual brilliance.
Dumisani Zuma, Ramahlwe Mphahlele, Junior Dion and the late Bongi Ntuli were all on target on 13 January 2023 in that DStv Premiership encounter.
“It’s one of my best games,” Folz admits, sharing the credit with his players and staff. True to his philosophy, it was a team effort, both on and off the pitch. He dissects the goals like a surgeon, revealing that the first two came from meticulously rehearsed corner kicks – evidence of hours spent on the training ground.
“But the reality, if you watch every goal in that game, the first two goals we score are corner kicks that we spent a lot of time working on during the week. Setpieces, for me, are extremely important. It was delivered in the exact area where it needed to be delivered.”
ROMAIN FOLZ SHATTERS THE MYTH OF INDIVIDUAL BRILLIANCE
There is a spark in Folz’s voice when he describes the third goal. A high press, a misplaced pass, a player instinctively following his coach’s instructions. “I remember him coming to me right afterwards: ‘Coach, it’s what you told me yesterday!’” Junior Dion’s words echo the significance of Folz’s preparation.
The fourth goal was a symphony of movement: a lightning-fast counterattack, crisp passing, the late Bongi Ntuli delivering the final blow.
“The last goal, I remember it very well. It was a counterattack starting from our back all the way to the other box. It was scored by the late Bongi Ntuli, and it was an amazing goal.
“I remember it was four passes into space going into a goal and again the offensive transition…You work on that in the two weeks before the game. So, yes, all the goals were not individual brilliance. It’s not someone taking the ball and dribbling through five opponents,” explains Folz.
He shatters the myth of individual brilliance, instead highlighting the power of strategy and teamwork.
RELATED STORY: Ex-AmaZulu FC coach Romain Folz: ‘All he needs is to have clarity’
