Maduka responds to being in the firing line

Maduka responds to being in the firing line

Maritzburg United coach John Maduka has responded to speculation that he could soon be out of a job in the Midlands with some of his colleagues waiting in the wings. 

Club chairman Farook Kadodia has also set a target of six points before the DStv Premiership breaks for the FIFA World Cup. 

The goalless draw against Richards Bay on Saturday was the start of chasing that mark, and Maduka welcomes the challenge. 

"It's all over. Maybe some of them are agents, so they're trying to promote [their coaches], but it's the life of a coach," Maduka told reporters after the match.

"Look, we drew today and my brother here told me that we have moved, I think, to number 14 - if we won the game, we could have been number 10.

"So, if you look at the log itself, if we win next week's game against AmaZulu, we might go seventh or eighth, somewhere there. So, for us, we're still in there."

As far as he knows, Maduka feels he has the club™s full support, but he knows that if change is necessary, there will be no hesitation. 

"I enjoy the support from the chairman and they know the plan is to build a new team and to build a new team, you don't just do so in two or three days,"

"Look at the players that we have, we have some players coming from NFD teams, some from teams that fought relegation, so it's not an easy job.

"To be fair, we can see the progress. But to build a team takes time and, for me as a coach, it's part of our job - the pressure, we know how to handle that.

"But when results are not coming, of course, the coach has to [take responsibility]. But, for now, I don't put myself under pressure. I always leave everything in the hands of God.

"I said it at Royal AM - if God doesn't want me to be here, I won't be here. So, if he wants me to be here, I'll be here."

By Mazola Molefe