Latest news with #KZNPremier'sCup
The Citizen
15 hours ago
- Sport
- The Citizen
WATCH: Exciting opening of revamped uMhlathuze soccer stadium
City of uMhlathuze Mayor Cllr Xolani Ngewzi this morning officially opened the upgraded uMhlathuze Stadium, in the presence of councillors, officials and a host of KZN and local media and football dignitaries. ALSO READ: WATCH: PSL officials inspect uMhlathuze stadium Emphasis was on the tangible benefits the R200-million investment will bring to the city and district, beginning this weekend when the KZN Premier's Cup will be hosted at the stadium. Excited football fanatic Innocent Khanyile is among the many who can't wait for visiting teams to enter 'The Slaughterhouse'. Don't have the ZO app? Download it to your Android or Apple device here: HAVE YOUR SAY Like our Facebook page and follow us on Twitter. For news straight to your phone invite us: WhatsApp – 060 784 2695 Instagram – zululand_observer At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
IOL News
14-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
The travelling had taken its toll on us, says Ronnie Gabriel as Richards Bay embrace return
UMhlathuze Sports Complex in Richards Bay. Picture by : Zakhele Xaba Image: ZAKHELE XABA Richards Bay FC coach Ronnie Gabriel has welcomed the club's long-awaited return to their hometown, with the Mhlathuze Sports Complex set to host top-flight football for the first time — pending final pitch approval from the PSL. Since earning promotion to the Betway Premiership three seasons ago, the Natal Rich Boyz have been forced to play their home fixtures at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban. The Mhlathuze venue, previously deemed unfit for PSL standards, has undergone significant renovations — with the final green light now hinging on an upcoming PSL inspection of the newly laid pitch. 'We're very happy to be coming back and playing at home, the travelling had really taken its toll on us,' said Gabriel, whose team regularly had to endure long trips just to honour their home matches. The stadium's overhaul includes improved facilities, structural upgrades, and a major capacity boost — from 4 000 to 9 000 seats — finally bringing it in line with top-flight requirements. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading The club hopes to be cleared in time for the 2025/26 season and to mark their return during the upcoming KZN Premier's Cup, which will be hosted at the stadium at the end of the month. The opening day of the KZN Premier's Cup on Saturday will see AmaZulu face Golden Arrows at 11AM, followed by a 1PM clash between Durban City and Milford FC. Sunday morning action kicks off at 9AM with Richards Bay taking on Midlands Wanderers in front of what is expected to be a lively local crowd. The two semi-finals winners will meet at 1PM, before the grand final is staged at 4PM to close off the tournament. 'We feel that playing at home could add another 10–12 points to our total tally at the end of the season,' Gabriel continued. 'When you're not travelling every week, your recovery, preparation and consistency all improve.' Richards Bay made history last season by finishing eighth — their highest-ever position — and qualifying for the MTN8 competition for the first time. Gabriel and co-coach Papi Zothwane now believe that the long-awaited return to home soil could serve as a further springboard for greater consistency and ambition. 'At the same time, we want to make our supporters happy and reward them for all the love they've shown us,' Gabriel added. 'The ideal time for that will be at the Premier's Cup. It's going to be emotional — for us and for the fans.' Supporters in the city have never watched their side play a PSL match in Richards Bay, and the return marks a historic moment for local football. With only one final inspection standing between the club and their long-awaited homecoming, anticipation is mounting in northern KwaZulu-Natal — and Gabriel insists it could make all the difference.
IOL News
12-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Kagiso Dikgacoi discusses Arrows-Royal AM early transfer strategy
SABELO Sithole is among the players Lamontville Golden Arrows move quickly to snatch from the Royal AM rubble. | BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix Golden Arrows assistant coach Kagiso Dikgacoi believes securing several Royal AM players ahead of the new season has given the club a crucial head start as they look to strengthen their squad and identity. The Durban-based outfit took advantage of Royal AM's financial collapse and the termination of their PSL membership by swooping in early to sign some of Thwihli Thwahla's most experienced and reliable performers. 'It's always good to have a big squad to look at your options. The guys that came in towards the end of the season are very, very good players and had a huge impact at Royal AM,' said Dikgacoi, speaking at the launch of the KZN Premier's Cup on Tuesday. Golden Arrows secured the services of Ayanda Jiyane, Thabo Matlaba, Philani Sithebe, Xolani Ngcobo, Shadrack Kobedi, Sabelo Sithole, Ayabulela Maxwele, and Siphesihle Msomi – all of whom were on Royal AM's books before the club's dramatic exit from the top flight. Golden Arrows have completed the signing of former Royal AM midfielder Sabelo Sithole#BetwayPrem #SthendeWay#RoyalAM — Matakanye Robert (@MatakanyeJuwas) April 7, 2025 Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ Ad Loading For Dikgacoi and the rest of the Arrows technical team, getting those players in the door before pre-season has allowed for smoother integration and better planning. 'It's unfortunate that they came at a later stage [last season], which means they arrived unfit,' he explained. 'But now they're with us from the start of pre-season and they've already gotten used to the environment – the adjustment period is done.' Many of the players joined Abafana Bes'thende before the 2024/25 campaign ended, which allowed them to get a taste of the club's structure, style of play, and expectations. That head start, according to Dikgacoi, will be crucial as Arrows look to rebuild around a clearer vision. 'In terms of other signings, the club will make an announcement of both those who have come in and the ones who have gone,' he said. 'Hopefully, we're gonna bring in players that will adjust well and fit into the system and the identity of Golden Arrows.' Arrows endured a turbulent 2024/25 season, narrowly escaping the relegation zone. The club is now keen on bouncing back and re-establishing itself as a force in the Betway Premiership – and Dikgacoi believes the recent additions bring the right balance of quality and experience. The immediate test for the reshaped squad and technical team comes later this month when they take on KwaZulu-Natal rivals AmaZulu in the KZN Premier's Cup – a match that will offer a glimpse into how far the squad has come since the integration of the new arrivals. Having a solid pre-season with most of their new players already familiar with the club's setup, Arrows are hoping their early moves in the transfer market pay dividends when the real business kicks off.
The Star
11-07-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Why AmaZulu FC released 17 players: A calculated reset for the future
AmaZulu FC say their decision to release 17 players was a calculated reset to reverse a worrying decline and back head coach Arthur Zwane's vision to return the club to the top. Speaking at the launch of the 2025 KZN Premier's Cup this week, club spokesperson Philani Ndlela said the mass clear-out was not just a reaction to recent results, but a strategic move shaped by where the team wants to go. 'If you look at the last five seasons, the club finished inside the top eight three times and twice outside. We played one cup final, which we lost, and you can see that in the last five seasons we did not do as well as we expected – in as much as we got an opportunity to play in the CAF Champions League,' said Ndlela. 'But our graph kept going down instead of going up, so it was important for us to have a turnaround.' AmaZulu ended the 2024/25 Betway Premiership campaign in sixth place, securing a spot in the MTN8. While that finish could be seen as progress, Ndlela insisted it wasn't enough for a club with ambitions of lifting trophies. The arrival of Arthur Zwane last season — initially as co-coach alongside Vusumuzi Vilakazi — marked the beginning of that turnaround. Vilakazi has since departed, and Zwane has been trusted to lead a long-term project centred on youth and tactical evolution. 'When we saw coach Arthur Zwane bringing in new and fresh ideas in the team, it was important for us to go back to the drawing board to bring in younger players that are going to help us get back to the top,' Ndlela explained. Alongside Zwane, AmaZulu have bolstered their technical team by roping in Simo Dladla as an assistant coach.
IOL News
11-07-2025
- Sport
- IOL News
Why AmaZulu FC released 17 players: A calculated reset for the future
Arthur Zwane AMAZULU FC head coach Arthur Zwane has been tasked with leading the club into a technical evolution. | BackpagePix Image: BackpagePix AmaZulu FC say their decision to release 17 players was a calculated reset to reverse a worrying decline and back head coach Arthur Zwane's vision to return the club to the top. Speaking at the launch of the 2025 KZN Premier's Cup this week, club spokesperson Philani Ndlela said the mass clear-out was not just a reaction to recent results, but a strategic move shaped by where the team wants to go. 'If you look at the last five seasons, the club finished inside the top eight three times and twice outside. We played one cup final, which we lost, and you can see that in the last five seasons we did not do as well as we expected – in as much as we got an opportunity to play in the CAF Champions League,' said Ndlela. 'But our graph kept going down instead of going up, so it was important for us to have a turnaround.' AmaZulu ended the 2024/25 Betway Premiership campaign in sixth place, securing a spot in the MTN8. While that finish could be seen as progress, Ndlela insisted it wasn't enough for a club with ambitions of lifting trophies. The arrival of Arthur Zwane last season — initially as co-coach alongside Vusumuzi Vilakazi — marked the beginning of that turnaround. Vilakazi has since departed, and Zwane has been trusted to lead a long-term project centred on youth and tactical evolution. 'When we saw coach Arthur Zwane bringing in new and fresh ideas in the team, it was important for us to go back to the drawing board to bring in younger players that are going to help us get back to the top,' Ndlela explained. Alongside Zwane, AmaZulu have bolstered their technical team by roping in Simo Dladla as an assistant coach. Dladla recently made headlines after guiding Durban City to the top flight and is seen as a forward-thinking football mind who complements Zwane's approach. Despite the large-scale changes, the Usuthu camp remains calm. Ndlela emphasised that there is no panic behind the scenes, and that the leadership believes in the path the club is taking under Zwane. 'To be honest with you, there's no anxiety in the team. There's a lot of maturity in the technical team and the management of the club, and that's why we have full confidence in coach Zwane and what he's doing.' AmaZulu will give fans a first look at their revamped squad during the 2025 edition of the KZN Premier's Cup, as they prepare for a season that could define the club's long-term future. Having hit reset, the pressure will now be on Zwane and his new-look team to steer the club's graph in the right direction — upward.
