Johannesburg - Recently-appointed Richards Bay coach Vasili Manousakis has bemoaned the club’s lack of investment after suffering yet another defeat on Saturday.
The ‘Natal Rich Boyz’ are currently being handed the harsh realities of top-flight football in their maiden campaign as their latest defeat against Golden Arrows made it seven consecutive losses.
The KwaZulu Natal-based club held the second spot on the DStv premiership standings at the turn of the year after an impressive first round, but has since gone on a horrid spell in terms of results and is now at risk of exciting the top eight.
Manousakis, who worked hand in hand with assistant coach Pitso Dladla as coaches before he was appointed the head honcho, believes that injury to their most experienced players and no investment in the January transfer window is a contributing factor to their recent spell.
“We were very naïve and it’s always easier in hindsight but we should’ve strengthened in January and we’re now paying the school fees for it,” he said after the match.
He further added: “This is a challenge that has been happening since the turn of January, this is not something that’s happened over the last two weeks so we are seeing signs of improvement but as a club, we have also been realistic to sit down with the management and analyse if we have enough depth in quality and do we have enough PSL experience to dig you out of these moments that you have.
“Who has PSL experience out of the starting eleven today (against Arrows)? (Nsikelelo) Nyauza and Abel (Mabaso), so two out of the 11 and it will take and whether the chairman has the patience for it we’ll find out.
However, the former Cape Town City mentor remains optimistic about turning the tide with his charges. Manousakis says resurrecting self-belief amongst the players is the key to finding solutions.
He appreciated the demeanour of his players even during this period, but alluded he will continue to pay special attention to mentality.
“I see it at training, I see it attitude and most of them in application but you know when your confidence is low, you have to dig deep and look at the psychological aspect and look at the body language and all those things,” he said.
The Natal Rich Boyz will somehow have to pick up the pieces in their next fixture against already crowned DStv premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns.
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