Former Kaizer Chiefs and AmaZulu midfielder Siyethemba Sithebe has shed light on what led to his sudden departure from Richards Bay FC after just making eight appearances.
The 32-year-old joined the Natal Rich Boys at the start of the 2024/25 season following his exit from Kaizer Chiefs where he spent two years.
Sithebe impressed at AmaZulu where he was a regular, featured in 132 matches before joining Amakhosi. His struggle for game time at the Glamour Boys led to his departure having made just 39 appearances across all competitions.
Following a report by SNL24 alleging that the midfielder was dismissed after a fallout with the technical team, Sithebe cleared the air in an interview with FARPost, revealing that he was trying to express his concerns regarding decisions made by the technical team.
“The situation happened in the changing room after the game because, as a senior player, you stand up if things are not going well, and you know the emotions were high; I didn’t know this was going to end the way it did,” explaining Sithebe.
“And what I can say is that our situation with Richards Bay wasn’t that bad because, after a loss, I could see that the decisions made by the coaches could have been better. I spoke out in the dressing room, trying to show coaches that some of the decisions they take are not good, that’s what happened.”
Earlier in the season, he had revealed that Magesi FC and Sekhukhune United had shown interest on the veteran midfielder before he opted to return to his home province and joined Bay so that he can be closer to home.
“From my side before joining Richards Bay, I can say there were negotiations with other teams, and it was my agent who was negotiating with those teams,” he said.
“So, we spoke to Sekhukhune and Magesi that just came in [the SA’s top-flight]. That’s why I say it was the agent who was negotiating, and I get feedback from there. But I can say that I came to Richards Bay because they are close to home and I thought it will be easy for me to adapt,” Sithebe concluded.
Richards Bay had a rocky start to their season but looks to be turning things around since bolstering their technical team with Papi Zothwane, they are unbeaten in their last three league matches which includes two victories and one draw.
They have climbed into the 13th spot with 16 points. Their next clash will see them travelling to Western Cape to square off with Stellenbosch FC on 18 February.