Royal AM, led by the youngest chairman in the league is quickly becoming a retirement home for players who have seemingly eclipsed their glory days and are looking for their last big pay cheque, writes Smiso Msomi.
DURBAN – The new kids on the block, Royal AM led by the youngest chairman in the league is quickly becoming a retirement home for players who have seemingly eclipsed their glory days and are looking for their last big pay cheque.
Club Chairman, Andile Mpisane’s (20) radical approach to reap rapid dividends is one that could be associated with the acquisition of reputable and responsible personnel in the most integral positions on the pitch.
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However, the KZN based side started their match against Sekhukhune United with seven players over the age of 31 and a certain 34 year-old Ndumiso Mabena also making a cameo appearance in the latter stages of the game.
Royal AM roped in 35 year-old Ricardo Nascimento, Thabo Matlaba (34) and 32 year-old Mxolisi Macuphu in the January transfer window, moves that seem to indicate the kind of directive the club’s structures are following.
These deals also offer suggestions in terms of what kind of players the club is attracting, certainly not a group of players looking to prove themselves and enter the elite years of their careers winning trophies with the club.
Royal AM have one of the wealthiest owners in the Premier Soccer League at the helm of the club’s operations.
Durban Businesswoman and socialite, Shawn ‘MaMkhize’ Mkhize could probably go head-to -head with the biggest clubs in the country in the transfer market.
A further investment in quality players that still have a guaranteed playing career only seems the logical decision at this juncture, affording her enough time to reform and re-strategise her club’s ambitions going forward.
Immediate enquiries into their development structures or the lack of rather could also be pointed to.
The clubs unwillingness to put their faith on youngsters and under utilisation of their Diski Challenge squad points to a rather precarious situation in the future.
