Ronnie Gabriel Resigns as Richards Bay Coach After Winless Start to Betway Premiership Season
Gabriel Quits Richards Bay: Six Games, No Wins, 13 Goals Conceded
Ronnie Gabriel is out at Richards Bay. The club confirmed on Thursday that their head coach has resigned with immediate effect, and nobody watching the start of their season will be shocked.
Let’s be clear about what the club actually said: Gabriel resigned. Not sacked, not pushed — he stepped down. Some reports have framed it differently, but the official line from Richards Bay on 17 September is a resignation. The club thanked him for his contribution and said news on a replacement would come in due course.
The record says everything
Six league games. Zero wins. Three draws and three losses. Three points out of 18. Fourteenth on the log.
Seven goals scored. Thirteen conceded. That last number is the one that really hurts.
Here’s how it unfolded:
| Match | Result |
|---|---|
| Richards Bay vs Polokwane City | Lost 2-1 |
| Chippa United vs Richards Bay | Drew 1-1 |
| Durban City vs Richards Bay | Drew 1-1 |
| Richards Bay vs Kaizer Chiefs | Drew 2-2 |
| AmaZulu vs Richards Bay | Lost 2-1 |
| Milford FC vs Richards Bay | Lost 5-1 |
That 5-1 hammering by newly-promoted Milford on 13 September? That’s the kind of result that breaks a coach’s resolve. But the problems ran deeper than one bad afternoon. Richards Bay scrapped in a few games — the Chiefs draw was respectable — but they never looked like a side that knew how to win.
A short ride in the hot seat
Gabriel only got the top job in July. Before that he was part of the technical team, working alongside Papi Zothwane and Siboniso Gumede. When Zothwane left for Sekhukhune United, the door opened for Gabriel to step up and take sole charge. It was his first crack at running a Premiership side on his own.
He knew the club well. He’d been assistant coach during the promotion push and stayed involved through their time in the top flight. Knowing the place isn’t the same as leading it, though, and the step up turned out to be bigger than the opportunity.
Who’s next?
The club hasn’t named anyone yet. Two names are doing the rounds in the press, though. Adnan Beganovic, who walked away from TS Galaxy late last season, is reportedly the frontrunner, with word that Richards Bay have already been in touch with his people. Phuti Mohafe, formerly of Marumo Gallants, has also been mentioned.
They’re just names in reports right now. Nothing’s signed. Until Richards Bay make it official, treat it as talk.
Saturday won’t wait
Richards Bay host Sekhukhune United this Saturday, 19 September, kick-off 15:00. That’s barely two days after Gabriel’s exit.
Either a new coach gets parachuted in or someone from the current setup takes the team temporarily. Either way, whoever stands on the touchline on Saturday inherits a club desperate for its first win and badly needing to fix a defence that’s leaking goals.
The season’s still young. There’s time to turn it around. But time only matters if you use it, and right now Richards Bay are running short on both points and patience.
Club at a glance: Richards Bay FC | Betway Premiership | P6 W0 D3 L3 | GF7 GA13 | 3 pts | 14th | Next: vs Sekhukhune United, Sat 19 Sept, 15:00
Editorial policy: We go by what clubs and official sources confirm. We keep speculation labelled as speculation and don’t dress up media reports as done deals.
Sources and verification: Based on the Richards Bay FC official statement, as carried by established South African football publications, plus current league records and reported candidate links.
Corrections policy: Spotted an error? Tell us. We check against the primary source and fix confirmed mistakes quickly. If a correction significantly changes the meaning, we flag it.
Disclaimer: Coaching moves happen fast. Richards Bay had not announced Gabriel’s permanent replacement when this was published. Reports linking Beganovic or other coaches remain unconfirmed until the club says otherwise.
