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The former Bafana star Bafana may not be at his best, but he won’t be measured solely in terms of his performance on match days.
Former AmaZulu striker George Dearnaley has highlighted the influence new striker Siphiwe ‘Shabba’ Tshabalala will have on Usuthu’s dressing room.
However, he is concerned about the physical form of attacking midfielder AmaZulu.
The Durban-based club has been spending a lot following a change in ownership and former Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana player Tshabalala was introduced this week as one of 10 newcomers, with others including Luvuyo Memela, Augustine Mulenga and Siphelele Mthembu.
Tshabalala is now 36 years old and has not played since May 2019 for Turkish BB Erzurumspor.
Dearnaley admits to being concerned about the player’s long period of inactivity. In that regard, it will be crucial for Usuthu’s technical team to manage Tshabalala’s playing time and constantly help him regain his match fitness.
But as Dearnaley points out, the influence of the former Free State Stars and Amakhosi will extend beyond how long he’s on the field during games.
“I have no problem with his age, it worries me more that he has not played competitively for almost 18 months,” the former Usuthu forward told IOL.
“He’s an experienced player, a South African football legend, and I think people underestimate the impact that players like this can have on the squad.
“This ranges from giving advice to young players in training, being under pressure in massive games, sharing those experiences with less experienced players and even giving some advice to the coaching staff.
“It’s all this that happens on the training ground and in the locker room, not just in games, that makes him a great signing for the club.”
AmaZulu begins its league campaign against the Orlando Pirates at Kings Park Stadium on Saturday night.
At this stage, it seems that Tshabalala is unlikely to start and may be limited to a cameo from the bench, as head coach Ayanda Dlamini revealed in an interview with Sowetan: “They joined us this week, and some of they, when it comes to fitness, are way behind. We know that Shabba hasn’t played for some time. So is Mthembu, ”said Dlamini.
