- Truter complained about being sabotaged by AmaZulu players
- The tactician blamed some Usuthu stars for not listening to him
- Truter is now doing well at Sekhukhune after failed AmaZulu stint
WHAT HAPPENED? Truter was sacked by AmaZulu early this season before the club brought in Romain Folz, but the tactician, who now handles Sekhukhune United, has revealed how personality clashes in the dressing room made his life difficult at Usuthu.
Truter had replaced Bafana Bafana legend Benni McCarthy in March 2022, after he left the club following a string of poor results having taken them to second place in the PSL in the 2020-21 season.
McCarthy had complained about some forces in the dressing room not pulling in the same direction before his departure and Truter now says he faced the same while vowing never to sign certain players currently on the books of AmaZulu.
WHAT DID HE SAY? “Replacing a personality and character like that [Benni McCarthy], it’s always going to be difficult as a coach but it boils down to the players, how receptive, how open they are when you arrive.” Truter told iDiski Times.
“Are they coachable? But in my view, before Benni left AmaZulu, he also experienced difficulties with the players. From the outside, I picked it up from what he was saying in his interviews.
“But that was from the outside. When I went in there, it was a good opening eight games, I think seven unbeaten, six wins, one draw and a loss, so it was good. But the same Benni, he took over, 12 games unbeaten and he came second in the league.
“But then the second season, he experienced what I experienced. I understand what happened now, all I can say is that there’s players at AmaZulu I won’t work with ever again.
“I will try and stay clear of them, the player power, the dressing room that people hint about at AmaZulu, it’s not always a good environment for coaching, it’s not always nice.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE: AmaZulu’s sacking has since proved to be a blessing in disguise for McCarthy who currently works as a coach at Premier League giants Manchester United.
Truter has, meanwhile, moved Sekhukhune from 15th place to sixth on 24 points while AmaZulu are eighth, a point behind.
WHAT’S MORE? Truter claimed the behaviour of AmaZulu’s players even killed his interest in coaching.
“When players have a direct line to the chairman, to complain when they are not playing,” he added. “To talk about tactics, to really suck you down when you have a tactical plan for the next game and players want to buy into it but they want to do their own thing.”
“So, that’s how they have control there, players can make or break you in South Africa. If you don’t have a good relationship with them, they will throw you under the bus and that’s the reality of our football at the moment.”
WHAT’S NEXT? Truter’s Sekhukhune are away to struggling Marumo Gallants on Saturday while AmaZulu visit Maritzburg United on Friday.
