“Some Players Might Be Left Behind”: Xulu Drops Honest Assessment As New Bay Coach Faces Sundowns
New Richards Bay coach Dimitar Nikolaev Pantev faces an unenviable task to make his mark, beginning his tenure against newly crowned MTN8 champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
While few coaches would choose the Chloorkop giants for their debut, Pantev—who replaced Ronnie Gabriel—must hit the ground running.
Whether this baptism of fire proves a blessing or a curse will become clear at the Princess Magogo Stadium on Tuesday evening.
Historical data offers little comfort for the Natal Rich Boys. Richards Bay have lost 10 of their 11 encounters against Sundowns, breaking a ten-game losing streak only last season with a 0-0 draw at the uMhlathuze Sports Complex.
To make matters worse, Sundowns enter the fixture brimming with confidence following a mature 2-0 victory over Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium to win the MTN8 title on Saturday.
Having remained in Durban to prepare for Tuesday’s clash, Sundowns are expected to rotate their squad, though they remain heavy favorites.
Pantev inherits a struggling side that has failed to collect maximum points in their last three matches, losing all of them, lying 14th in the table.
Conversely, Sundowns remain unbeaten in league play this season, despite losing to Golden Arrows in the MTN8 semi-final, before overturning a first-leg semi-final deficit.
They are sitting of the table with 20 points after eight matches, one point ahead of second place Pirates, who has a game in hand.
Meanwhile, star forward Nqaba Xulu offered a candid assessment of the squad’s adaptation to the new manager.
“The coach is new, and the way I see it, some players might be left behind,” Xulu admitted. “However, others are already connecting well and adapting to his methods.”
Despite the team’s overall struggles, the former Milford FC striker has been a standout performer. Xulu sits second in the Betway Premiership scoring charts with five goals, trailing top scorer Thando Ngwenya of AmaZulu by three.
“I want to add to my goal tally,” Xulu added. “I want to stay in the race for the PSL Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot, but my primary focus right now is helping the team perform.”
