{
  "id": 8002886,
  "title": "Richards Bay part ways with Ronnie Gabriel after nightmare start",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/17/richards-bay-part-ways-with-ronnie-gabriel-after-nightmare-start",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-17T10:12:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "IOL",
    "slug": "iol",
    "url": "https://iol.co.za/sport/soccer/2026-09-17-richards-bay-part-ways-with-ronnie-gabriel-after-nightmare-start/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Richards Bay FC has terminated the contract of head coach Ronnie Gabriel with immediate effect following a poor start to the 2026/27 Betway Premiership season. The club expressed gratitude for Gabriel's contributions during his tenure and wished him well in his future endeavors. No reason for Gabriel's dismissal was provided, stating that further details regarding the appointment of a new coach would be announced at a later stage. Gabriel's departure follows Richards Bay's failure to secure a win in their opening six league matches, accumulating only three points from 18 possible. The team's campaign started with a home loss to Polokwane City, followed by a draw against Chippa United and another draw against Durban City. They eventually drew with Kaizer Chiefs before suffering a defeat against AmaZulu. The worst result came in their most recent match, a heavy defeat to newly promoted Milford FC. This loss came after Gabriel acknowledged that the team's winless start could potentially create a mental block among the players. With the season only just beginning, Richards Bay now faces the challenge of finding a new coach quickly, as their next Betway Premiership fixture against Sekhukhune United is scheduled for September 19. The club hopes that the change in management can prompt an immediate improvement and help them move away from the relegation zone.",
  "summary": "Richards Bay have confirmed Ronnie Gabriel’s departure after three draws and three defeats in their opening six Betway Premiership matches.",
  "key_points": [
    "Richards Bay FC fires Ronnie Gabriel as head coach.",
    "Team's poor start with zero wins in first six matches.",
    "Next match against Sekhukhune United on September 19."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}