Amazulu ready to derail Ajax

Amazulu co-coach Neil Tovey has come out with all guns blazing ahead of Wednesday night's Absa Premiership clash with Ajax Cape Town at Athlone Stadium (kickoff 7.30pm).

Tovey, who along with head coach Clive Barker was at the helm (as captain and coach respectively) of the African Nations Cup-winning Bafana Bafana side in 1996, on Tuesday emphatically denied that they were in town merely to fulfil the fixture.

"We are here to win," warned the classy defender who had enjoyed successful stints with the likes of Durban City, Kaizer Chiefs and, of course, AmaZulu, a club he would later return to as coach.

Tovey also had coaching stints with the now-defunct Hellenic and Mamelodi Sundowns, where with Miguel Gamondi he lifted the league trophy.

"We still have a mathematical chance of finishing in the top eight, so there is no way at all that we're going to go through the motions on this trip," he said of their plans for tonight's interestingly poised encounter.

"One has to be honest: even if we had nothing to play for, the mood in the camp would have been exactly the same. There will be no favours done here, and it's normal at this time of a season that certain teams have their title hopes dashed at the last hurdle.

"It's going to be an interesting battle against a very good Ajax team. We know they won't sit back, because winning is all that matters in their quest for the championship. I think they will be happy that we're not in danger of being relegated, otherwise it would have been a massive dogfight out there."

Tovey was roped in on a three-month contract to help instill a winning mentality into a team of talented, yet inconsistent players. The move paid off handsomely as the KwaZulu-Natal outfit raced clear of the relegation zone and also managed to secure a semi-final berth in the prestigious Nedbank Cup, which they were unlucky to bow out of against Sundowns.

A top-eight slot is indeed a possibility for Barker's boys, but so too for a cluster of clubs above the Usuthu.

"That's true, but three wins from our last three outings and we will be in with a fighting chance of achieving what would be a remarkable feat given our precarious log position not so long ago," remarked Tovey.

The visitors count among the more attractive sides in the league, but no amount of creativity can make up for a lack of goals, and AmaZulu will sorely miss the strike power of Dumisani Ngwenya and Siyabonga Mkwhanazi.

They are regarded as one of the most exciting attacking combinations in local football and certainly on a par with the likes of the top pairing of Santos sharpshooters Erwin Isaacs and Eleazar Rodgers.

"We will miss the thrust of Ngwenya and Mwkhanazi," said Tovey. "They have not yet fully recovered from niggling injuries and will not make the trip to the Cape. But we have a team good enough to compete with gusto for the points on offer. We are certainly going to give it our best shot."

AmaZulu are also well served at the other end, with goalkeeper Kallilo Kakonje a steady performer behind skipper Belux Kasonga, Pere Ariweriyai and Jan Sillo.

Veteran playmaker Shoes Moshoeu, another member of the victorious 1996 Bafana squad, will more than likely enjoy some game time should the call be for someone to dictate the pace of the game down the middle.

Watch out for a juicy match-up of the past and present of creative geniuses should Moshoeu get to lock horns with the likes of Clifford Ngobeni, Thlanthla Shabalala and Mfundo Shumana.

It's a tough one to call, with the romantic side of the brain suggesting a home win for the title-chasing Urban Warriors.

The business mind, though, hints at success for the coaching team of Barker and Tovey over rookie mentor Craig Rosslee, who does however stand out as the season's top performer in the dugout.

"The ingredients point to an intriguing battle," said Tovey. "We are up for the challenge, and if we are to spoil Ajax's chances of winning the league trophy, then so be it. That's the nature of football at the highest level."

This week's fixtures

Wednesday: Ajax Cape Town v AmaZulu, Jomo Cosmos v Mamelodi Sundowns.

Saturday: Kaizer Chiefs v Orlando Pirates, Black Leopards v Golden Arrows, SuperSport United v Moroka Swallows.

Sunday: Thanda Royal Zulu v Santos, Bloemfontein Celtic v Wits University.