Richards Bay chairman Sifiso Biyela said there was a chance for them to sign Austin Dube from Kaizer Chiefs but the move did not happen.
Dube was heavily linked to Bay after the Natal Rich Boyz were promoted to the DStv Premiership top flight last term.
The 29-year-old was signed by Chiefs also from Bay at the beginning of last season.
This after Dube had impressed as the left-sided centre back where he also scored against the very same Amakhosi to dump them out of the Nedbank Cup last 32 in the 2020/21 season.
But since he has joined Chiefs, he has featured in the 17 matches, all coming last term and none this term.
Ex-Chiefs coach Stuart Baxter last term was trying to build a side similar to that he won two league titles in the 2012/13 and 2014/15 seasons with – in his first term with Amakhosi.
The back four then was marshalled by Erick Mathoho and Tefu Mashamaite, who was the left-sided centre.
Baxter said to have right and left-footed centre-backs gave his side flexibility as they can easily slot in the right and left positions when the full-backs are up.
As it didn’t work and Baxter was fired last term, this season things are bad for Dube. He has not played a single match for Chiefs. To make matters worse, Chiefs signed Edmilson Dove to fill Dube’s left-side centre-back side.
“We spoke but nothing materialised,” Biyela told iDiski Times. “No one was defeated in the deal, as the club we were speaking to Dube’s agent. The talks did not progress and that is where it all ended.”
As talks did not yield the desired results and time running out, Biyela then signed Ntsikelelo Nyauza, who was released by Orlando Pirates.
This, in many ways, was a victory for Bay. Sometimes players when they are on loan in a less-pressured environment tend to perform and parent clubs quickly recall them at the end of the season. This was a case in point with Stellenbosch FC with Nyiko Mobbie in the 2019/20 season on loan from Mamelodi Sundowns.
Mobbie played well for Stellies. Then the following season he went back to Sundowns. While Stellies expected Mobbie to be back, they decided to permanently sign Zitha Kwinika
Biyela has followed suit. “That’s why we signed Nyauza and that’s why we didn’t make a follow-up,” said Biyela, whose side have done well, lying third on the table with 14 points after eight matches.
