PRESSURE MOUNTING ON TEMBO?

Word reaching the Siya crew is that there have been some concerns raised at Richards Bay FC over the start the side has endured to the season, a situation that will put a lot of pressure on head coach Kaitano Tembo.

The Zimbabwean-born mentor was appointed to the role before the start of the current campaign, but the Natal Rich Boyz have struggled to get out of first gear and, while management have not pressed any panic buttons just yet, indications are that they will not be patient for too long, with the ambition

Buthelezi and Ntando Nkosi have been upgraded with five-year deals to ward off any potential interest – for now – on the academy graduates.

The club promoted the duo last season and coach Rhulani Mokwena has been raving about their progress since they joined the first team and subsequently made a few cameo appearances.

With the reshuffling of the development structures at the side this month following the arrival of Paulo Cardoso as the Head of Academy as well as the appointment of Sinethemba Badela as the DStv Diski Challenge team coach, there are a lot of moving parts under the leadership of sporting director Flemming Berg.

Soccer Laduma reported last year that it was the Danish-born administrator who pushed for striker Cassius Mailula to be introduced into the being to see the club progressing.

In the first five matches of 2023/24, the KZN-based outfit has not managed to register a victory, with just two draws and three losses. They have scored a paltry two goals and conceded six times.

More worrisome for Tembo is that he’s not new to facing early-season senior side early during the 2022/23 season. The Bafana Bafana international has now been sold to Toronto FC in the USA’s Major League Soccer for a reported R30 million figure.

Buthelezi, 20, has not yet featured this season, while Nkosi, 21, has had a run in the DStv Premiership win over Richards Bay FC as well as being an unused substitute in the Polokwane City victory prior to the FIFA break.

Siya sources have indicated that the contracts could also have added options that go beyond the five-year deals signed.