Chippa’s Malesela ready to face Cape Town
Morgan heads Chippa’s academy
With today’s two of the three Nedbank Cup Last 16 round matches featuring first division Gladafrica Championship teams, the main attraction will see Chippa United host Cape Town City in an all-cape tie in Gqeberha, formerly Port Elizabeth, at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium at 6pm.
In the all-second tier teams clashes, TS Sporting take on Richards Bay United at Mbombela Stadium and Pretoria Callies come up against JDR Stars at Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville. Both matches kick off at 3pm.
Chippa United coach Dan Malesela, who is in his third stint coaching the Chilli Boys, has a rich history and affinity to the Nedbank Cup after winning it with TS Galaxy while they were in the National First Division two seasons ago.
Chippa coach has a rich history and affinity to the Nedbank Cup
While still in his prime as a player, Malesela lifted the trophy as a midfield maestro with Orlando Pirates and holds the record of being the only local coach to take a first division side to the final of the competition and win it. The astute tactician pulled off an upset when he emerged victorious over Kaizer Chiefs through a Zakhele Lepasa goal, disposing off the Glamour Boys 1-0 in the 2019 final.
Thereafter, Malesela guided TS Galaxy in the CAF Confederation Cup but their fairytale run in the continental inter-club competition came to a halt when they were knocked out by Nigeria football giants Enyimba.
So, the Chilli Boys mentor should be looking forward to squaring up against the equally determined Citizens’ Dutch coach Jan Olde Riekerink for a place in the quarter-finals. “We play the Nedbank Cup to win, not just to compete,” Riekerink said. “The game is in a big stadium [Nelson Mandela Bay] and we will be really motivated.”
On Tuesday, Cape Town City will be back in Gqeberha to honour their league fixture against Malesela’s side.
Former Chippa United general manager Morgan Mammila, who was fired twice by the Chilli Boys, is returning to the club for his third stint.
Chilli Boys owner Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi has tasked Mammila with the responsibility of running Chippa’s feeder side Buffalo City Municipality (BCM) Stars in the ABC Motsepe League. The club was called Peace Lovers and will be used as the academy of the PSL side.
The project is very close to Mpengesi’s heart and the Buffalo City Municipality because it will unearth and develop talent in the poverty-stricken region.
“Yes, I will be working in East
London with BCM. I have a good relationship with the boss Mr Mpengesi,” said Mammila before promising to get back to us.
Mpengesi has forged a good relationship with the Buffalo City Municipality and secured a 20-year-lease to use the municipality’s facilities and stadiums for developing and reviving sports in the surrounding communities.
Mammila’s first job at Mpengesi’s club was way back in the 2018/19 season after he relinquished his position as CEO of Baroka FC. He lasted four months.
Mammila then resurfaced at Sbu Mpisane’s Royal Eagles in the first division.
He later returned for his second bite at the cherry at Chippa last year in July just before the bio-secure bubble, but left the Eastern Cape club two months later in September.
Mpisane’s knack for firing and hiring the same people at Chippa is well-documented.
Coach Dan “Dance” Malesela is on his fourth stint at the club. Malesela at some point vowed not to work for the club ever again, but Mpengesi lured him back to the club.
“The fact that the club keeps on calling me means they have seen something in me that is different from other people,” Malesela was quoted in the media on his return to the club.
“It is just for us to have the right base of doing things, but what is also key is for us to have results because you cannot sit at the club and there are no results.”
They have seen something in me that is different from other people