Zwane is hiding Ngwenya from social media — and it just paid off in Polokwane
Arthur Zwane is not just coaching Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya. He is also shielding him.
After AmaZulu’s 1-0 win at Polokwane City, the Usuthu coach revealed he has pulled his in-form Zimbabwean striker off social media and away from the noise around his name.
The brief: stay off the phone, protect the ball, and keep scoring. Ngwenya did all three.
His fourth-minute winner was his eighth Betway Premiership goal in seven games and moved AmaZulu within touching distance of Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates.
Zwane was just as pleased with what happened after the goal.
“Ngwenya can be something else. He is still young. I don’t want us to put him under pressure,” Zwane said.
“That is why I am pulling him away from social media and the many other people who are talking about him.
“I am advising and guiding him on how to stay away from all those things and remain focused on his game.”
The early strike was only half the story. Zwane said Ngwenya held the ball up, waited for support, and refused to give it away cheaply — a direct response to a dressing-room warning.
“Today he did very well. He held the ball very well for us and waited for us to join him in attack,” added Zwane.
“There are obviously times where he could have capitalised and exploited the space quickly, but I think this is one game where he didn’t want to lose the ball cheaply.
“In the past few games he has been losing the ball cheaply, so we sat him down and told him to try and protect the ball more.”
Eight goals. A cleaned-up first touch. And a coach keeping the hype away from his hottest player. For now, that formula is working.
