Papi Zothwane has made it clear that Richards Bay FC will not play the role of kingmakers in the Betway Premiership title race.
He said this after their 2-2 draw with Orlando Pirates which dented the Buccaneers’ title hopes.
Zothwane has cautioned that his side’s focus remains solely on their own objectives — not helping rivals chase down Mamelodi Sundowns.
“They can’t bank on us because we’ve got our own mission, and they have theirs,” Zothwane said.
Pirates dropped two crucial points on the north coast, leaving them trailing Sundowns and potentially needing other teams to slow down the league leaders.
But Zothwane insists his team won’t be influenced by the title race dynamics.
Instead, he highlighted Richards Bay’s strong home form as a key factor behind their resilience.
“We always emphasise that no one comes here and dominates us. That’s our mindset,” he explained. “We’ve only lost once at home in the league.”
The coach also pointed to the passionate home support as a driving force behind their performances.
“It’s difficult to beat us here because we’re not only playing for ourselves but for our supporters.
“They’ve been starved of matches, and now that we’re back, everything we do is for them,” added the former Sundowns midfielder.
Zothwane had already warned Pirates ahead of their clash, despite the Buccaneers arriving in red-hot form after hammering Golden Arrows and TS Galaxy.
Now, with a showdown against Sundowns looming on 25 April, Richards Bay could still influence the title race — but strictly on their own terms.