Richards Bay coach reveals mandate for 2025/26 season

Richards Bay Coach Sets Clear Goals for New Season

Ronnie Gabriel / @x.com/RichardsBayFC

Richards Bay co-coach Ronnie Gabriel has shed light on the club’s main objective in the league ahead of the start of the new Betway Premiership campaign after guiding the Natal Rich Boys to a top eight spot last season.The former Uthongathi tactician, along with Papi Zothwane, beat prominent teams like Kaizer Chiefs, the now-defunct SuperSport United, and the recently relegated Cape Town City to a spot in the MTN8, where they were sent packing by Mamelodi Sundowns.

⁦@RichardsBayFC_⁩ co-coach Ronnie Gabriel on the departure of Yanela Mbuthuma to Pirates 🎙️

“If we speak about Mbuthuma, he was a big loss for the team because he did very well for us last season and he scored many important goals for us.”#MTN8Cuphttps://t.co/jQA1ijAhHG

— Banele Gabriel Hlakanyana (@MrBreakingNews3) August 4, 2025

Now, with the KZN side set to host their home games in a familiar territory this season, Gabriel, who joined the club in August 2021, is adamant having a home ground advantage will go a long way on improving the team’s eighth-placed standing from the last term.“It would be a huge plus for us; remember we have been commuting for the last three or four seasons. We have been playing away games week in and week out and I believe going back to our home ground, playing in front of our supporters, could add at least 10 points from what we got last season come the end of the new season,” he said.“So, we are hopeful that the supporters will play their role like they always do. Home ground advantage, we would like to make it a slaughterhouse down there in Umhlathuze and we are positive that we will do well in our home ground.The Bay mentor went on to state that their mandate for the upcoming campaign is to collect as many points on the road, as they look to establish themselves as a regular top half team in the South African top-flight division going forward.“Remember our away record was not the best last season. This season we want to do better away from home, we want to pick up points away from home and that’s more of our objective. We feel that if we pick up more points away from home, it will take us higher up the table,” Gabriel added.The Jomo Biyela-owned club will commence their league commitments with a visit from Marumo Gallants at King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday, before finally playing at Umhlathuze Sports Complex in matchday four against Chippa United.

Richards Bay co-coach Ronnie Gabriel reflects on loss to Sundowns.

WATCH full press conference ➡️➡️➡️https://t.co/yEc4Q7YeWy

📽️ Shot on HONOR 400 Pro pic.twitter.com/vfboSyG9A4

— Mahlatse Mphahlele (@BraMahlatse) August 3, 2025