Durban — AmaZulu interim coach Ayanda Dlamini has hit back at numerous individuals recently involved in what is assumed to be a smear campaign against the club.
Usuthu have dominated the headlines for all the wrong reasons in the last two weeks as previous employers of the club publicised what they deemed an excessive habit of alcohol abuse at the KwaZulu-Natal outfit.
Former coach Brandon Truter, who spent five months at AmaZulu, also supplemented these claims on his most recent visit to the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Following his side’s loss to Usuthu, Truter disclosed that he dealt with players arriving at training drunk during his stint in Durban.
“I am not going to lie for anybody. Players came to training drunk and I had to deal with it at one stage, so whoever said it is right,” he told the media.
However, Dlamini has slammed these individuals, deeming their ‘disrespectful’ claims as being those of a bitter ex-employee.
“These accusations are a very big problem but my view on the situation is it's only people that were released by the club that makes these claims, it's not people who left the club because of what they claim is happening, they only say these things when they're on the other side,” he told journalists.
“I can tell you now, the people that are saying these things are very bitter. I'm the one that's saying this, not on behalf of the club’s president or the team, these people are very very bitter.”
AmaZulu eased their relegation worries and placed themselves within reach of a potential top eight spot as they produced an inspired performance to beat Sekhukhune United on Saturday, moving up to tenth on the DStv Premiership log.
A seemingly pumped up Dlamini asked whether a team of ‘drunkards’ were capable of producing such a display, reiterating the disciplined nature of his group of men.
“They are not kids, they have their own lives but they're very responsible. A drunk person would never be able to play that way or someone drunk the day before wouldn't produce that performance, they'd never be able to run like that.
“So whoever says that (they're drunkards), I know they say it in their personal capacity but it's very disrespectful to the team and disappointing.
“I heard it's also been said here (at the press conference) but in life, if you win you can dance and celebrate but if you lose then accept the loss and go back to work and try to improve, don't point fingers at things that don't concern the game.”
IOL Sport