AmaZulu’s draw against provincial rivals Martizburg United on Friday may not be enough to save Romain Folz’s job as head coach.
Durban — The heroics of AmaZulu’s new signing Guily Manziba may have been in vain as his last-gasp equaliser at Maritzburg United may not be enough to save the job of head coach Romain Folz.
The 32-year-old mentor could have potentially coached his last match after failing to turn the fortunes of the club around in his four months at the helm.
Folz, who took over from Brandon Truter last October, was given the task of helping AmaZulu to their first trophy since 1992 and lifting the team to a stable fourth-place spot but his tenure has been largely unsuccessful.
Although backed in the transfer market, in not only bringing in players but coaching staff as well, Folz has seemingly made the task of turning around the fortunes of the club an uphill battle.
Romain Folz reflects on our Friday night #KZNDerby match against Maritzburg United at Harry Gwala Stadium 🟢⚪️#HebeUsuthu#UsuthuTogether pic.twitter.com/XahWpN1oR5
— AmaZulu FC (@AmaZuluFootball) February 5, 2023
The French-Moroccan coach guided the club to their first cup final since 2010 but failed to bring the MTN8 trophy home.
Despite an impressive start to the season, AmaZulu were unable to sustain their form and although they currently hold sixth spot in the league, they are also just three points ahead of Maritzburg in 15th.
With the club struggling to make progress, Folz has come under increasing pressure and could be set to leave the club.
Folz has been a popular figure amongst the AmaZulu fans and players and was handed the nickname of ‘Fohloza’ (destroy) on his arrival but his lack of success has led to some criticism from supporters.
His tactics and team selection have been questioned by some observers, and his record in the league has been poor.
He has a record of seven draws, two victories and one loss in the 10 matches he has taken charge of and appears to be struggling to take the club to the next level.
Despite the lack of silverware, Folz has led the club to some memorable victories, most notably a 4-0 hammering of Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs. He has also been credited with re-introducing Pule Ekstein and Thabo Qalinge into the fray.
It remains to be seen if Folz will remain at AmaZulu, but it seems increasingly likely that he has coached his last match for the club. Usuthu could be looking for a new coach who can help them to achieve their ambitions and turn their fortunes around.
