Malesela back with bold plans for Chippa

FANS can expect to see a more aggressive and results-orientated Chippa United in the Premier Soccer League next season, says returning coach Dan “Dance” Malesela.

The coach also promised to maintain the entertaining style of play the Chilli Boys are known for in the league.

Malesela was surprisingly announced as Chippa’s new coach only 12 days after club chairman Siviwe Mpengesi had handed Serbian Vladislav Heric the job.

The coach returns to the hot seat only eight months after he was fired by the club for non-performance.

Asked about his return, the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates skipper was upbeat being back.

“I am very excited to be back at Chippa United. It wasn’t a difficult situation. We never even debated for too much. We just had one talk and that was it,” he said.

“I will be back in PE around midJune because I only realised now that the league is opening as early as August 3.

“So, I had to change the date that was set to start preparing for the new season, because I wouldn’t have enough time with the team.

“I didn’t even know that we lost quite a number of players. I need to see how we can get the new players to understand how I work.

“There are new things that I want to introduce and they are quite difficult so I need them to understand them before even before the league about kicks off.”

Malesela had previously produced fairly good results at the Port Elizabeth-based side in his previous stay.

He was the first coach to take Chippa into the MTN8 after finishing sixth on the log in the 2016-17 season. Last season he led the Chilli Boys into two cup semifinals.

Now, he says he wants to go one step further.

Asked about his mandate and his plans with the team Malesela said: “We haven’t spoken too much about that but obviously we need to replace some players that we have lost.

“Also, I want to bring in a new dimension into our approach. How we play and what we do because we need to be more offensive.

“I am taking to mind the fact that the country is in outcry over the lack of goalscoring. We need to really focus on the points and see what we can get from our players in terms of scoring goals.”

Malesela said there were a number of clubs that were interested in signing him before he received Mpengesi’s call.

“I still want to be in the PSL. I belong in the PSL for now and I thought to myself this is the club that I know best,” he said.

“Plus there are other things that I want to achieve as well with the club because going into the semifinal twice was not enough for me.

“We need to go to the semifinal, final and if we can win a cup, win it. I am not saying we are going to win cups but we need to advance this club further than where we were,” the coach added.