Mdaka excited to reunite with Arthur Zwane at Usuthu

New AmaZulu defender Omega Mdaka expressed his delight having reunited with coach Arthur Zwane at Usuthu and said he never hesitated when the club showed interest.

I wanted to be here. It just delayed a bit
— Omega Mdaka, defender

The 22-year-old left back joined Usuthu from Stellenbosch, where he had an outstanding stay for the past two seasons after signing with the Winelands side in 2024.

Mdaka and Zwane worked together at Kaizer Chiefs during their time with the club’s DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) reserve side from 2021 to 2023, and he said he is not surprised by joining a club where he went for assessment in 2024 but failed to impress.

“I wanted to be here. It just delayed a bit. I was just unfortunate to leave and then come back again, but I’m not surprised. I know coach Arthur from development levels. I know what type of a coach he is, so me being here is not a coincidence. I want to be here,” Mdaka told the media.

“He is an easy-going coach as a person, but then obviously, during training and match days, he is very demanding. He expects the best out of his players. He is a top coach and [an] even better human being, so it has been great working under him.”

During his spell with Stellenbosch, Mdaka showcased his impressive qualities, contributing in defence and providing options in attack. The highly rated wingback was a key player at Stellies, which prompted AmaZulu to move swiftly to acquire his services.

He made 51 appearances across all competitions for Stellenbosch, registering one goal and one assist.

Mdaka says he is trying to get along with his new teammates at Usuthu and that so far, so good.

“It has been a good one if I’m being honest, the training sessions have been amazing. Playing the previous game, I was very happy. I feel like every player coming from outside playing in their new team obviously wants to start the first match of the season for any team,” he said.

“I’m getting along with the guys, and I’m trying to form a chemistry with some of the players, so it has been good.”

Usuthu will face Sekhukhune United in the MTN8 quarterfinal at Chatsworth Stadium on Sunday at 3pm, where they will be looking to progress to the next round.