Richards Bay head coach Vusumuzi Vilakazi has detailed the planned role for newly acquired forward Thabiso Kutumela. Kutumela was recently unveiled as one of the new signings for Richards Bay after parting ways with Mamelodi Sundowns last month.
He spent the previous season on loan at Cape Town City under Eric Tinkler. With Richards Bay being one of the teams that struggled to score goals last season, the signing of Kutumela is seen as a positive move for the club. But Vilakazi has hinted that the 31-year-old’s role at the club might be different.
VUSUMUZI VILAKAZI EXPLAINS THABISO KUTUMELA’S ROLE AT THE CLUB
“He is not a leading striker or he is not going to be a leading striker for us,” said Vilakazi.
“But we will use him as a number 10 because we wanted a person who will be able to link in between the strikers and the midfielders,” he said.
“You know that he is tactically sound. So he will help us a lot and the thinking capacity is on another level.”
RICHARDS BAY ROPE IN NEW PLAYERS AHEAD OF THE NEW SEASON
Vilakazi has also explained the reasons behind some of the new signings. The club recently received a huge financial boost with Phakwe Gas committing R100 million [over the next five years] to the club.
“The signings that are here were not signed after the sponsor [was announced],” he added.
“But we spoke to the Chairman even before the announcement of the sponsor. Others were signed before that because we wanted to reinforce our squad. Try to make sure that when we start the season we compete fairly with other teams. Not go into the season to fight relegation. But to challenge for something better.”
Some of the players already brought in by the club include Tlakusani Mthethwa, Sbani Mntungwa, Fezile Gcaba, Keagan Allan and Siyethemba Sithebe.
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