Vela Khumalo lauds the preparation of Amajimbos as the project starts to take shape

Speaking to SABC Sport, shortly after seeing his team easily thrashing neighbours Lesotho 4-0 in an international friendly played at the UJ Stadium in Soweto, Khumalo says the work they have done in the last two years is now coming to fruition. 

READ: New signing Joshua Zirkzee nets late winner on debut for Manchester United

Amajimbos were playing their fifth game in two years under the current project, and Khumalo says it is coming together nicely.

''I think I said this in my interview that, with the Technical Director I am really happy, for the first we have so many camps just before the actual qualifiers. For so many years, I was so used to having a team on Monday and on a Saturday we are playing the qualifiers. What is happening now is reasonably good,'' said Khumalo.

Amajimbos raced into an early 3-0 lead in the first half and showed their quality as they faced their first COSAFA opponent against Lesotho. After having played four matches against Morocco and Côte D’Ivoire and two matches against Colombia, Khumalo explains that the difference between the first half and the second half was the difference in the players they were trying out.

''Look, one will just be saying we are certainly happy about the first half, we played very well, we kept to the tactical agreements that we have set out for ourselves. But the second half, players being players, which I am not going to condone the approach, obviously you saw in the second half it was 3-0 and working with young ones they think it was going to be easy, when the one you're bringing in they are not bringing the intensity we were expecting. But it is a working progress, we want to be better. If we want to go to the World Cup we need to change the approach and the attitude of the boys,'' added Khumalo.

With four months to go before the COSAFA U17 championships, which will also qualify for the U17 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament next year, Khumalo says the team needs to develop a killer instinct that is normally missing from SA teams.

''Not exactly, I think we started very well with the quo team, it was showing the level is not the same with Lesotho, we were a little bit far ahead of them. But when we introduce the ones that we want to bring to the national team, they will need time to understand the system, but I am happy with the quo team. We must instill the mentality of winning because where we are, you have to win games, if you don't win games you are out. I want to play in the World Cup, if you want to go into the World Cup you must have a winning mentality,'' he concluded.

 Amajimbos will play their second international friendly tomorrow (10 am) against Lesotho at the same venue. They are expected to field two or three new players who have joined the camp from Europe. Khumalo shares the objectives for this game.