Richards Bay New Coach Asks For Patience After Tough Start
Richards Bay coach Dimitar Nikolaev Pantev has called for patience as he begins the challenging task of turning the club’s season around after taking charge midway through a difficult campaign.
The 50-year-old Bulgarian coach joined the Natal Rich Boys late last month, replacing Ronnie Gabriel, who was dismissed following a disappointing start to the season. Richards Bay have struggled for results and currently sit 15th in the Betway Premiership standings, with just three points from eight matches.
The club’s struggles under Gabriel included a heavy 5-1 defeat to local rivals Milford, which proved to be his final match in charge.
Pantev has already experienced the challenges of his new role, suffering a 4-1 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in his first match as Richards Bay coach on Tuesday. However, he was not on the bench for the encounter as he is still awaiting his work permit.
Despite the difficult start, Pantev believes rebuilding the team will take time, particularly because he was not involved in assembling the squad.
“It’s not easy to come in midway through the season because, as you know, I wasn’t involved in selecting the squad,” he said.
“Most of these players are new to me, and they need time to adapt. I also need time to adapt and be more flexible.
“However, I’m happy with how they have responded. The international break worked in our favour because I had around three weeks to work with the team.
“My expectations are very high, and this is a big challenge for me. I’m here in one of the toughest leagues in Africa, where everyone wants to compete and any team can beat another. It’s also a challenge for me to prove myself at this level.
“Step by step, I first want to improve our performances. We need to win a few matches in a row and regain our confidence because, after a run of bad results, it’s normal for young players to struggle psychologically.
“But I’m sure they have shown me during training that they have ambition and want to progress. They dream of playing football at a higher level and competing in big matches like the one we played on Tuesday.”
Despite the defeat to Sundowns, Pantev defended his players’ performance, insisting that the scoreline did not fully reflect how the match unfolded.
The Bulgarian acknowledged the quality and experience of their opponents but was encouraged by his team’s effort and approach to the game.
“It’s not easy to compete against teams like Sundowns, big names with experienced and confident players. I think we gave it a good effort. The performance was not too bad, even though the result was disappointing,” he added.
“There were many crucial moments during the game, and I don’t think the scoreline reflects the match fairly. A 4-1 result is too much for a game like this.
“However, I’m very happy with our performance in terms of effort and the way we tried to play. I think every one of these matches will give us valuable experience because some of our players have no experience, not only in the PSL but even in senior football.
“They have potential and talent, but they need time, and we trust the process. Football is a process; it is a game of mistakes and moments. I hope we will take our chances in the next matches and produce better performances.”
Richards Bay will now turn their attention to the Carling Knockout, where they are scheduled to face Sekhukhune United in the Round of 16 next weekend.
The encounter will provide Pantev with another opportunity to guide the Natal Rich Boys towards their first victory of the season as they look to build momentum and climb away from the relegation zone.
