Richards Bay FC head coach Papi Zothwane has weighed in on Kaizer Chiefs' current struggles, suggesting that despite the club's underwhelming results, they are not as bad as many might think.
Zothwane, who led his side to a crucial 2-0 win over the Chiefs at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday, believes that the Amakhosi are simply going through a rough patch. The victory was a significant one for Richards Bay, easing their relegation fears during the current international break.
Richards Bay had to weather a storm in the first half, with Chiefs pressing hard. However, the second half saw Zothwane’s side turn the tide, putting on a dominant display to claim all three points. The win will be vital for their survival hopes in the top flight.
Zothwane, who enjoyed a successful playing career with Golden Arrows, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Bloemfontein Celtic, has faced various versions of Kaizer Chiefs teams over the years.
FT #BetwayPrem
• Richards Bay 2-0 Kaizer Chiefs
(F Gcaba'48,Y. Mbuthuma'72)#PhakweGas #NatalRichBoyZ pic.twitter.com/Wgp595PGm1
Now, as a coach, he’s taken a close look at the current Chiefs squad, and while the results may not reflect it, he insists that the team is not lacking in talent.
“I think Chiefs have good players,” said Zothwane.
“In my honest opinion, I might be wrong, but maybe this is just a phase. Things aren’t happening for them right now, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have quality players. Sometimes in football, things just don’t fall into place.”
He added that even top teams like Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates have gone through similar rough patches, and it could simply be Chiefs’ turn to experience one.
“It’s happened to many other teams in the past, so maybe it’s happening to them now,” Zothwane observed. “But in terms of quality, they’ve got the personnel to do well; it’s just not happening for them at the moment.”
Despite Chiefs' struggles, Zothwane was quick to highlight that football is cyclical, and teams often go through phases where results don’t reflect their true potential. Meanwhile, for Richards Bay, Zothwane is preparing for a battle at the other end of the table as the team faces a fight to avoid relegation.
Admin from now on please organize training session content, we need to know what are these players doing at training. Maybe we expected the unexpected.
— dEAR (@aey_dear) March 16, 2025
The KwaZulu-Natal-based side is one of several teams that are locked in a battle to stay in the premier division. However, Zothwane is determined to keep his focus on pushing his side up the standings rather than looking over his shoulder at the teams below.
“We’ve instilled in the players not to worry about what’s happening behind us,” Zothwane explained.
“There’s nothing you can change about that. The only thing we can control is challenging those teams in front of us. We want to focus on getting more points. If you look at the standings, one win can push you into the top eight. That’s our focus — to keep moving forward.”
Richards Bay will need to continue that mindset in the weeks to come. With every match being a battle for survival, Zothwane will hope his side can build on this victory and rise above the relegation zone in the second half of the season.