Durban — Golden Arrows co-coach Mabhuti Khenyeza has defended the general performance of KwaZulu-Natal clubs in the DStv Premiership this season.
The promotion of top-flight newbies Richards Bay FC to the Premiership brought about a positive aura around the province as the increase of clubs hailing from KZN signalled progress in the general football spectrum of the province.
Richards Bay joined Arrows, AmaZulu, Royal AM and Maritzburg United at the pinnacle of South African football, and this meant KZN had the joint most teams in the league, tied with Gauteng with five.
The beginning of the season saw Richards Bay take everyone by surprise, surging toward the top of the league standings alongside AmaZulu, while Arrows, Maritzburg and Royal AM struggled to get going.
However, with two games of the season remaining, the top four teams in the league are all giants from Gauteng, while Arrows, AmaZulu, Richards Bay and Maritzburg are in the bottom eight.
Khenyeza, who made over 240 top-flight appearances for several clubs has defended the current position of KZN teams, highlighting that it had been a bizarre campaign for all the teams.
“If you look at the bottom, there's only one KZN team there, Swallows FC was around there, Marumo Gallants are also there so it's not necessarily a KZN problem,” Khenyeza said.
“I don't think there's a huge problem because if you look at the league this season, getting just one point would change everything. For example, Richards Bay were second at some point, and from there they fell to where they are now and SuperSport (United) as well were second from bottom at the beginning of the season but now they're up there.
“So I don't think KZN teams had problems, the league itself was very abnormal this season because there were two breaks if we're being honest, the off-season one and the one in December.
“Mamelodi Sundowns we're able to win the league with seven games to go, that should also show the fact that the league is abnormal.”
Khenyeza’s Abafana Bes’thende are currently involved in an exciting tussle for a place in next season’s MTN8, as eight clubs battle for the remaining four slots.
One of those vying for those places are Arrows’ city rivals AmaZulu, who they face next at the Princess Magogo Stadium on Saturday.
IOL Sport