IF THE 2024/2025 Premier Soccer League season will have anything positive to be remembered about, it is the emergence of youngsters.
From the likes of Relebohile Mofokeng, Mohau Nkota and Thabiso Sesane at Orlando Pirates, to the Mduduzi Shabalalas, Samkelo Zwanes and Mfundo Vilakazis of Kaizer Chiefs.
AmaZulu FC are another side that boast an array of youngsters who are primed to come of age under the tutelage of co-coaches Arthur Zwane and Vusumuzi Vilakazi.
Zwane and Vilakazi have a long track record of bringing up quality youngsters, which is evident from their time with Chiefs and Lamontville Golden Arrows respectively.
Rowan Human, in particular – although at 24, he is not so much a youngster, but should be striding towards his prime – is one player who is showing his quality since the two coaches took over from Pablo Franco Martin last October.
The former South African junior international received his second consecutive Player of the Match award after his two goal assists helped Usuthu hold Amakhosi to a 2-2 Premiership draw at the FNB Stadium on Tuesday night.
Rowan earns another #BetwayPrem Man of the Match award this evening. Kubatshazwa yena lonke ilokishi! 🪄🧠#ThatsPower #HebeUsuthu #UsuthuTogether pic.twitter.com/sPSTYYXLMU
At the weekend, he also claimed the Player of the Match award with a goal and an assist as AmaZulu beat SuperSport United 2-1 in Durban.
Speaking about Human’s response to their coaches’ methods, Zwane said: “Look, I think our advantage with coach Kanu (Vilakazi) is being in the development structures for quite some time and trying to understand how the players, especially the young players, do things.
“Sometimes you become too harsh on them, but you also look at the situation as to, ‘Can you be able to take the pressure?’.
“If he can, you challenge him, because you want to get the best out of him.
“I think he (Human) is one of the players that has shown that, and responded positively.
“We needed now to take him to another level, to push him because he can be a player that is very important for the team for a very long time.
“That is good because it can also be a great investment for the club.”
Another junior international at AmaZulu, from whom a lot is still expected, is Ethan Brooks.
The 23-year-old might as well be counted among other youngsters whom Zwane says they are also trying to push to excellence this season.
“With this seemingly the season of youngsters (to be) doing well, we are trying to push all the youngsters that we have. You know, the likes of (Andiswa) Sithole (a 22-year-old winger), Msindisi (Kunene, a 23-year-old midfielder),” said Zwane.
“We want to give them the opportunity, but you know at this time of the season, you are trying to strike a balance in terms of getting and grinding the results, especially away from home.”
Since taking over, Zwane and Vilakazi have given AmaZulu a good foundation to not only survive relegation, but also compete for a top-eight finish – even the top four, for that matter.
AmaZulu scored all four goals at FNB, with both Chiefs strikes being own goals from the KZN outfit.
Zwane acknowledged his goalkeeper Richard Ofori’s effort in trying to keep Chiefs at bay.
“Ofori kept us in the game when they (Chiefs) got clear-cut chances, but at the end, we made two costly mistakes. That’s football,” said Zwane.
AmaZulu’s next league match is a visit by Marumo Gallants to the Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Friday night (7.30pm kick-off).