Kwem hails Pablo’s patience with players
‘Now, you can see that we understand the coach’s plan’
Image: Darren Stewart
AmaZulu striker Augustine Kwem has revealed how coach Pablo Franco is getting the best out of them now as they seem to be recovering from a slow start they had at the start of the season.
Before the Fifa international break, AmaZulu claimed two successive impressive victories against Golden Arrow, one in the Carling Knockout Cup and the other in the DStv Premiership matches, winning both 3-1 and 3-0.
Kwem, who scored a hat trick to fire Usuthu into a victory in the league match before the break, said Pablo’s patience with the players at training and in matches is starting to pay off.
“He is patient and he is giving us a chance to make mistakes at training because he always says ‘he will never fight you for missing a goal-scoring opportunity’,” Kwem told reporters during the club media day yesterday.
“But if you don’t put in an effort, that’s where you will have a problem with him. He gives a player confidence. We try things at training and put it in the game.”
Kwem, 26, added that they are also adapting to what the coach wants them to play and that's why they have been getting some results.
“Everyone was writing us off at the beginning of the season that we are not scoring, but defensively we are solid,” he said.
“Now, you can see that we understand the coach’s plan because we are playing a system which is new in the Premier Soccer League] for us, the three backline and two wing backs, we are adapting slowly.”
The Nigerian international also felt the Fifa break came at the right time as they were mourning the death of striker Bongi Ntuli.
“Most of us were mourning. Some were mourning more because they shared a lot of memories with Bongs.
“So it was a time to sit back, reflect and process everything that happened and come back strong.
“It was quite emotional as Bongs was a player who had no altercation with anyone. You would not say he swore at you at training or anything, always smiling.”
Usuthu will look to continue where they left off before the international break when they resume with a home match against Stellenbosch at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday 3.30pm.
Fixtures
Saturday: AmaZulu v Stellenbosch, Moses Mabhida (3.30pm); Bay v Pirates, King Zwelithini (3.30pm); Spurs v Royal, Cape Town (5.45pm).
Sunday: Galaxy v Polokwane, Mbombela (3.30pm); Swallows v Chiefs, Dobsonville (3.30pm); Arrows v CPT, Mpumalanga (5.45pm)