Vlad handed the baton to set top pace for Chippa
CHIPPA United boss Siviwe Mpengesi has already laid out the ground rules for newly-appointed coach Vladislav Heric.
Heric, who started his new role on Monday, and takes over the reins from axed coach Teboho Moloi, who was shown the door on Saturday after failing to register a win in his last seven league games.
Mpengesi, who was initially eyeing a top four spot this season, has now re-aligned his sights and has opted for a top eight finish due to the number of draws and losses recorded by the team which saw them missing out on valuable points.
Speaking on Mhlobo Wenene FM the chairman said: “I told Heric that he is not under any pressure. The top four target is no longer in our hands right now, but he can at least get us back to the top eight .
“If there is a possibility, we should at least reach the final of the Nedbank Cup. I met with the players on Monday to introduce the new coach and I told them if we miss the top four finish they should at least console us by doing well in the Nedbank Cup and they have agreed to do that.”
The Chilli Boys play Free State Stars in the Nedbank Cup last 16 competition, at Goble Park this weekend.
The two sides then meet again in a league fixture next weekend.
Despite their shaky relationship with Buffalo City Metro, Mpengesi announced that their league game against Free State Stars will be played at Mdantsane’s Sisa Dukashe Stadium in East London as per the PSL fixture list.
Last year, BCM mayor Xola Pakati told councillors that Buffalo City’s relationship with the Port Elizabeth PSL side was unsustainable.
BCM resolved not to extend its partnership with the Chilli Boys for the 2017-18, 2018-19 and 2019-20 financial years where the metro would have paid the club a reported R1.3-million a game.
Mpengesi said they were still in talks with BCM and called on all Chippa fans to come out in their numbers and fill up Sisa Dukashe Stadium next weekend.
“According to the PSL we cannot change those matches that were scheduled for Sisa Dukashe Stadium despite the ongoing talks between the BCM and Chippa United,” he said.