Chippa bring back Malesela to top coach role
IN A bizarre turn of events, Chippa United have re-signed former coach Dan “Dance” Malesela only 12 days after announcing that Serbian Vladislav Heric had been handed the job.
The club released a statement confirming Malesela’s shock appointment on social media and their website yesterday afternoon, only eight months after firing him for non-performance.
“Dan Malesela will make a return to Chippa United next season, executive chairman Siviwe Mpengesi announced in a statement.
“Chippa United’s longest serving coach Malesela will take over the reins from Vladislav Heric who will move over to the development.
The statement added that Mpengesi said Heric had expressed an interest in running the club Development project, with a partnership with a tertiary institution to be announced in due course.
It also said Mbuyiselo Sambu would be Malesela’s assistant coach.
The news comes less than two weeks after the club said Heric had been handed the reins for next season.
On May 15, a statement on the club’s website, attributed to Mpengesi, read: “I am delighted to announce that we have opted to extend Heric’s contract with the club for the 2018-19 season.
“Heric joined us in March and at the time we were in 13th position, almost facing relegation. He, together with the technical team, did a tremendous job, almost guiding us to the top eight.
“This time he will have the opportunity to take the team to the pre-season in preparation for the 2018-19 season.”
But that all changed yesterday with the news that Malesela would be back in business come the start of the season.
Mpengesi fired Malesela in September after a 3-1 home defeat to Baroka and the coach vowed at the time he would never return to Port Elizabeth.
“I don’t think I’ll be back in PE ever again,” Malesela said at the time.
The announcement by Mpengesi could not have come at a better time for Malesela who celebrating his birthday yesterday.
When contacted by for a comment on his return to Chippa, the former Orlando Pirates defender said: “This is not the right time. It’s my birthday today and I am celebrating it with my friends and family.”
Chippa’s Communications and marketing manager, Luthando Zibeko said he could not divulge any further information than what was in the statement, and that Mpengesi would make more announcements in due course.
When asked when the chairman will share more information on Malesela’s appointment Zibeko said: “No. I am not quite sure. So I will not make any comments because the chairman will be making more announcements with regards to the issues of the technical team.”
The future of Glen Minnie, who was heading the development structures at Chippa, is unclear. Attempts to contact both Minnie and Mpengesi met without success yesterday.
Attempts to also get a comment from Heric also proved fruitless. —