DURBAN - The AmaZulu full-time coaching position will be attractive to ambitious coaches. New Usuthu owner Sandile Zungu has set a long-term target of transforming the club into the best in South Africa and has already spent heavily to bring in quality talent to the club.
Following Ayanda Dlamini's resignation as coach earlier this week, the following are three candidates who could potentially be ideal successors to the throne.
Benni McCarthy
A potential recruitment of McCarthy will be a statement of intent from Usuthu. While McCarthy will not be the cheapest of candidates to hire, it will show how serious the club is to achieve their mandate.
McCarthy has been without a job since he was sacked by Cape Town City in November 2019. He is one of the brightest and ambitious young coaches in South Africa and his name and reputation alone could help the club potentially recruit star names.
A project like rebuilding AmaZulu will also fit McCarthy’s profile, especially as he is regarded as one of the greatest Bafana Bafana players of all time.
Gordon Igesund
The 64-year-old has been without a job since parting with Highlands Park in 2017. Despite his managerial methods being considered "old school" in some circles, he knows what it takes to win. He is the third most successful coach in the PSL era, behind only Kaizer Chiefs' Gavin Hunt and Al Ahly's Pitso Mosimane after having won four league titles with four different clubs.
Igesund is also the only man to have won a Premiership title with a KwaZulu-Natal squad, having led the now-defunct Manning Rangers to the title in the inaugural edition of the South African top flight. Igesund is a coach who has a reputation for over-achieving with under-resourced clubs.
In addition to Rangers, he also won the league with Santos and also nearly did it with Moroka Swallows.
Allan Freese
The 64-year-old Freese worked as assistant coach to Dlamini and is in charge of the club on an interim basis.
He already knows the ins and outs of the team and has a wealth of experience, having previously managed Platinum Stars and Highlands Park.
Perhaps, if his interim stint goes well, he can be given the full-time job?
@eshlinv