Richards Bay FC have seemingly opted for Papi Zothwane to take the coaching reigns, foregoing the services of Clinton Larsen. Here is why.
Initially, the Natal Rich Boyz were expected to appoint Larsen to replace Brandon Truter who was sacked in November following a disappointing start to the season.
Meanwhile, Larsen had departed Magesi after resigning live on TV in the post-match interview after the Carling Black Label Cup match on 23 December at Orlando Stadium.
Larsen’s abrupt exit came just weeks after guiding Dikwena tša Meetse to a stunning Carling Knockout Cup victory over the heavily favoured Mamelodi Sundowns.
The veteran mentor’s departure severed his nearly 18-month ties with the Limpopo-based club.
WHY LARSEN’S MOVE TO RICHARDS BAY FC FAILED
This website understands Larsen came close to concluding a deal with the Jomo Biyela-owned club. However, the parties couldn’t agree on personal terms.
The club has reportedly elected to continue with Papi Zothwane who was initially meant to be part of Larsen’s coaching staff. Their prior successful collaboration at Magesi likely influenced this decision.
Zothwane began his tenure with Magesi as part of the coaching staff at the start of the current season.
When Larsen unexpectedly resigned, the former Golden Arrows star stepped in to lead the team on an interim basis. This was short-lived as the club soon appointed Owen Da Gama as their new head coach.
Richards Bay will be making their second coaching change of the season with this appointment.
Prior to the season’s commencement, the club parted ways with Vusumuzi ‘Kanu’ Vilakazi, despite his recent contract extension. Vilakazi had successfully guided the Zululand side to safety in the previous season through the PSL Promotion/Relegation Playoffs.
Following Vilakazi’s departure, Brandon Truter was appointed as his successor. However, the team struggled under Truter’s leadership, resulting in a disappointing start to the campaign.
RICHARDS BAY’S STRUGGLES THIS SEASON
After a brief tenure of just 12 games across all competitions, marked by only three wins and two draws against eleven defeats, Truter was dismissed.
Ronnie Gabriel and Siboniso Gumede subsequently assumed interim coaching responsibilities, but the team’s fortunes have yet to show significant improvement.
Richards Bay’s recent form has been a cause for concern, with the team managing only one victory in their last seven matches.
This slump has seen them suffer five defeats and draw once, leaving them with a mere nine points from 14 league games. As a result, they find themselves languishing in 14th place on the log.
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