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By Tshepo Ntsoelengoe

Football Journalist


Maduka raring to get started following Maritzburg United appointment

The former Royal AM gaffer replaces Ernst Middendorp with a three-year contract.


Newly appointed Maritzburg United coach John Maduka says it is an honour to have been appointed as the head coach of the KwaZulu-Natal outfit for the 2022/23 DStv Premiership season.

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This is after the club parted ways with German born coach Ernst Middendorp, who has been in charge of the since November 2020.


Maduka, a former Bloemfontein Celtic coach, moves to the other side of KZN after he was in charge of Royal AM, who bought the status of Celtic prior to the start of last season.
The 51-years old will be in charge of the team with a three-year contract along with Ditheko Mototo as his first assistant.


“It is a huge honour for me to represent and coach a club with the tradition and support base of Maritzburg United. I am very excited to get started. After discussions with the Chairman and the Board, I felt their passion, ambition and desire to be successful and I feel my ambition, together with my work ethics, can work to achieve the desired results for the Club,” said Maduka.


“Upon each visit to the Harry Gwala Stadium one can feel the passion that the “Blue Army” have for this club and this support will be hugely important for the team in the upcoming season.”


The former Celtic and Royal AM mentor thanked the management of the club for granting him an opportunity to lead Maritzburg and he can’t wait to start with his new venture.


“This is a wonderful opportunity, but there is also a lot of work ahead of us and I am eager to get onto the training ground to start working with the players. I would like to thank the club’s owners for this opportunity for the incredible welcome they have already given me. I am very excited to begin our journey together,” he added.


He leaves Royal AM after finishing in third place in their maiden season in top flight football and having reached the semi-final of the Nedbank Cup.

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