PSL club AmaZulu have replaced head coach Benni McCarthy with former Swallows FC mentor Brendon Truter on an interim basis, the Kwa-Zulu-Natal-based club said in a statement on Sunday.
On Tuesday, the club’s president Sandile Zungu formally welcomed the elated former Moroka Swallows coach.
“I must say that I am over the moon because Usuthu is a big brand. It is the pride of KwaZulu-Natal, and I am ecstatic to be here,” said Truter.
Since the dismissal of top former Bafana Bafana striker and ex-Cape Town City coach last Friday by Zungu, the Premiership club moved swiftly to find a replacement by appointing Truter to lead Usuthu out of the rough seas.
Truter would be in charge of the team until the end of the season and occupies the coaching hot seat at a time the team is lying ninth on the top-flight league log standings.
“AmaZulu FC is pleased to announce the appointment of Brandon Truter as interim head coach with immediate effect until the end of the current 2021/2022 season. We look forward to competing in the league with the remaining seven games left,” reads the statement released by the club.
“The search for the head coach to lead the team beyond this season has commenced and should be finalised before the end of April.”
Truter, on Tuesday said: “I will do my best and give my all for this brand. The team is the pride of the nation, not just of Zulu people but South Africa as well. I am so happy and blessed to be a part of the AmaZulu family and I hope to make the stay permanent, and I hope to get us into the position, or the target achievement sent forward.”
McCarthy’s sacking comes on the backdrop of running battles between him and Zungu as they could not agree on a number of issues. AmaZulu’s poor performance in the 2021/2022 league campaign also strained their relationship.
Two other burning issues was that McCarthy spoke his mind in the media about not having been consulted when Zungu decided to suspend and sideline leading attacking midfielder Siyethemba Sithebe from all club activities.
This after the star player signed a pre-contract with Kaizer Chiefs, a move that would lead to the player leaving Usuthu at the end of the current season.
McCarthy has also failed to get positive results in the CAF Champions League group stages of the African inter-club competition.
The Durban-based outfit is precariously on their way to bowing out of the prestigious competition as they occupy the third spot with one match to go.
This story has been updated.
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