Firing line
Inside the circus that is Chippa United
● Dan “Dance” Malesela’s final hours at Chippa United before being fired this week split the club, but it is a damaging divide that was apparently already in existence.
United’s notoriously trigger-happy chairman Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi has changed coaches 16 times in six years and he once fired and reinstated Teboho Moloi in a day.
The story of Malesela’s firing the Sunday Times has put together involves allegations of “racial undertones” and Chippa technical head Peter Koutroulis being behind the sacking. Some defend Koutroulis and say the problem is of two camps at odds to advise passionate but combustible Mpengesi.
Malesela — who steered United to two semifinals in his previous tenure — was fired from his second stint, as he was last season, three matches into 2018-19. Chippa lost two league games, then drew 2-2 against Black Leopards in East London last Saturday.
His successor, Eric Tinkler, had been on United’s shortlist when Malesela was appointed in May, but became unavailable because of a chance of joining Kaizer Chiefs.
Malesela was fired after two meetings on Tuesday. In the first Mpengesi raised concerns with the coach over the poor start. Malesela told the chairman: “This thing can be fixable.” The second meeting was among officials. COO Lukhanyo Mzinzi was so angry that the coach’s firing was being discussed so soon that he refused to attend.
Koutroulis and long-time team manager Wanda Mgebuzana were allegedly at odds in the meeting. Mbenguzana apparently almost walked out of the club in support of Malesela, who received a dismissal letter by email about 10pm. The manner of the firing, a source said, was “like this was an emergency situation, and Dan is about to relegate us”.
On Friday Malesela was driving home to Johannesburg, having had no personal meeting with Mpengesi.
Koutroulis, a source said, was “somehow behind this thing, and [is] every time a coach doesn’t last. You remember Roger [Sikhakhane] made the same statement [after he was fired in 2015]. It’s got racial undertones.”
Malesela echoed that sentiment this week on radio, and also to the Sunday Times.
“I just said Peter has never been the one at Chippa who would hire a black coach,” Malesela said. “The black coaches who were there, he found at the club.”
A source said Mpengesi has too many advisers competing for the coaches who they believe should be hired or fired. “When you are open to people they can just take advantage,” they said. The view is backed by Moloi, who went from being assistant coach after Malesela’s first sacking to head coach last season. Moloi defended Koutroulis.
“I had a great relationship with Peter. In fact, had I listened to him about other people at the club, I might still be at Chippa,” Moloi said. He described a volatile situation of two camps.
“It’s a merry-go-round,” Moloi said. “Some point fingers at Peter because he is getting his preference with that coach. When Peter doesn’t get preference, he points fingers at the others.”
Moloi relates a fantastical story that encapsulates the volatility of the situation.
“People are not aware I was fired the day after our defeat against Pirates [4-2 last season]. In the morning on the phone it was hunky dory between me and Chippa. He was happy that it was the highest-viewed game in the PSL that weekend.
“About 1pm the team manager [Mbenguzana] calls me with the financial guy to say they need me in the office. They say, ‘We’ve got bad news, you’re fired’. By 5pm, it was so funny, I was reinstated. On Tuesday at training the players were shocked to see me.”
Assuming their coach was a dead man walking, Chippa’s players then sagged to a 2-0 defeat against Cape Town City. Moloi was fired again.
Koutroulis did not want to comment on the allegations. He said: “I heard Malesela’s interview on radio.
“This is a very serious allegation, and I’m busy with my reaction.”
Mpengesi, contacted yesterday and asked if Koutroulis was behind Malesela’s sacking, said: “That’s not true.” He declined to comment further.
Peter has never been the one at Chippa who would hire a black coach
Dan Malesela Former Chippa United coach