Brandon Truter was yesterday announced as the new head coach of Richards Bay FC for the 2024/2025 season.
The 46-year-old mentor has taken over the reins at the club after the departure of Vusumuzi “Kanu” Vilakazi by mutual consent in recent days.
This appointment has put an end to several weeks of speculation that saw names like Rulani Mokwena, Pitso Mosimane and Benni McCarthy linked with the job.
Truter is expected to lead a new-look side, with the club having received a bumper R100 million sponsorship from Phakwe Gas.
The Natal Rich Boyz expressed their delight and welcomed the well-travelled Truter back into their dugout.
“Richards Bay Football Club would like to announce the appointment of Brandon Truter as the club’s new head coach for the season 2024/2025, with an option to renew,” the club statement read.
“Coach Brandon Truter is a familiar face in South African football – he’s a former coach of Sekhukhune United. He is also a familiar face in Richards Bay FC, having coached the club during the 2018/2019 season. He brings a lot of experience to the club.
“We welcome him in his new role, and wish him all the best.”
Before his return for a second stint at the KwaZulu Natal-based outfit, Truter had been serving as a sporting director at Motsepe Foundation Championship side Upington City.
The sudden departure of Vilakazi sent shockwaves throughout the Premier Soccer League, having guided the club to safety via the play-offs last season.
It was even more of a surprise considering that the lanky 41-year-old had been rewarded with a one-year contract (with an option to extend). But developments in recent days have seen him cast out into the cold, with Truter taking his place.
Numerous sources around the club have linked the change in the technical team with the arrival of Phakwe Gas as a sponsor, with CEO Thabiso Tenyane announcing that the club would have a new coach ahead of the new season.
𝙒𝙚𝙡𝙘𝙤𝙢𝙚 Coach Brandon Truter 🤝#NatalRichBoyZ pic.twitter.com/GT3Qs0A9mv
Richards Bay are said to have set huge targets for this Premiership season, which was the main reason behind Vilakazi’s exit.
Club chairman Jomo Biyela confirmed those expectations on Metro FM on Tuesday night, stating that he felt that collecting eight points out of every 15 available was not an unrealistic target.
He also went on to reveal that Richards Bay would not be unrealistic in hoping to finish in the top four in the Betway Premiership.
Truter will have at least five weeks to try and sharpen his boys and get them familiar with his style and philosophy, with league matches kicking off on the weekend of September 14.