Recently sacked AmaZulu FC goalkeeper coach Moeneeb Josephs suspects the club bosses may have reneged on their big dreams and the 2032 vision.   

AmaZulu’s management, led by their charismatic president Sandile Zungu, have made several decisions that left many perplexed recently.

Those decisions included the sacking of head coach Benni McCarthy and more recently his support staff — Josephs and assistant coach Vasili Manousakis. The club  also released some of their best players such as Luvuyo Memela and Augustine Mulenga in their clear-out of 15 playing personnel.

McCarthy, Josephs and Manousakis led the team to their first runners-up spot in the DStv Premiership during the 2021/22 season and the Caf Champions League group stages in their first outing.

Zungu pointed out below-par performance on the field of play as one of the reasons behind the sacking of McCarthy, which Josephs finds hard to believe.

“If you want to look at my work and look at my goalkeeper's stats from last season and this season, there’s a massive improvement. My goalkeeper is still in the national team and conceded even less goals than last season,” Josephs said.

“So, the reason why I got fired cannot be because of work. I really can’t pin it down to anything. Maybe it’s because I was brought to the club by Benni.

“I think because we were Benni’s technical team and when he left I’m sure there was a target on our backs as well.”

The former Orlando Pirates and Bafana Bafana goalie suspects their sacking and the offloading of players may be an attempt by the club to cut costs.

“Maybe it has to be a cash thing with the team, it has to be something like that which is understandable,” he said.

“Slim Kat” believes the sacked technical team was definitely in line with the management’s 2032 vision of being a real force to be reckoned with in SA and African football and the bosses needed to be patient.

“I really don’t understand what their thinking was in the first place because if you have a plan for 2032 and in your first year you achieve such a milestone, it should be a foundation for you to start building on,” Josephs said.

“But in the following season when we needed to make additions to the team, it never happened. I can’t speak on behalf of the directors of the club of what they are thinking but I can only state my confusion of what is really needed to be a top team if that’s what you achieve and you still get fired. Is that (what we achieved) not what the teams are looking for?” he questioned.

“To be competing and winning things, from being a relegation candidate team for many years and when the fans finally get to enjoy, be proud of the team.

“To be let go because of not bad results, not football, it’s a confusing thing for me.”

Josephs is currently part of a four-day Fifa goalkeeping course conducted by Fifa instructor Alex Heredia at the Safa technical centre in Fun Valley, Johannesburg.

“This is a chance to get to spend time with my family a little bit because you must remember the year has been busy for us, travelling to Africa and stuff like that. I will just relax and do a few courses here and there until something comes up,” Josephs said.

On Thursday, Usuthu announced the signing of former Pirates player Gabadinho Mhango, Dumisani Zuma, who was released by Kaizer Chiefs, and four other players.

The other players are Thendo Mukumela, Veluyeke Zulu, Riaan Hanamub, and Augustine Kwem.