AmaZulu coach plans Arthur Zwane to refresh an ageing squad and was pleased with a debut from teenager Bayanda Thabede despite defeat in Stellenbsoch on Tuesday.
The 18-year-old Thabede started the match for AmaZulu and put in a 72-minute shift in the 1-0 loss to Stellenbosch at the Danie Craven Stadium before being replaced, showing some clever passing touches, good crossing ability but being muscled out in the midfield.
“I think he did very well, but obviously in the second half, he was running out of steam and made a few mistakes when he lost the ball,” said Zwane.
“But playing is the only way he can learn. He’s got so much quality; in the first half he was giving us those half turns to penetrate and always looking forward.”
Thadede, who hails from KwaMashu, has been AmaZulu’s most outstanding player in the DStv Diski Challenge
“Sometimes you ask yourself, should you have given more opportunity and more time earlier in the season (to young players) but obviously we've been a situation where we needed to pull ourselves out the relegation zone,” explained Zwane.
With the club now up to seventh in the Betway Premiership, Zwane said it was time to blood in new players and look to freshen up one of the oldest squad in the league.
“The opportunity is there now and he’s been doing well in the Diski. This is the kind of investment AmaZulu should be making in their young players.
“If you look at the model of a team like Stellenbosch, where they come from and how they played many youngsters, look at how they are benefiting right now.”
Zwane used the example of Devon Titus, who came through the Diski Challenge to become one of Stellenbosch’s key performers.
“Now he’s a top player in the country and he's in the national team.”
“If we look at our squad in terms of the average age, this is the right time to give this boy (Thabede) the opportunity to play with the senior guys who've got the experience, that they can guide him to cope with the demands and the pressure of playing at this level.”