Coaches set to face off
Chippa meet Middendorp-trained Stars
‘ I don’t think either of us will be out to prove a point on Saturday
CHIPPA United coach Roger Sikhakhane will go head to head in a much-anticipated clash with arch-rival Ernst Middendorp in a Premier Soccer League encounter against Free State Stars in Bethlehem on Saturday (3pm). Middendorp was Sikhakhane’s replacement when he was axed by Chippa chairman Siviwe Mpengesi in December.
Ironically, the KwaZulu-Natal-born coach returned the favour this season when he took over from Middendorp after the German was fired due to the club’s poor performances.
After a messy separation with the Chilli Boys, Middendorp seems to have finally found a home at Goble Park. The former Kaizer Chiefs and Maritzburg United coach was last month appointed as the new coach of Free Star States, replacing Kinnah Phiri.
This will be his first PSL game in charge of Stars and he will kick off his league campaign playing against his former team, Chippa United.
It is expected that both coaches will be out to prove a point. But, if that is the case, Sikhakhane was not saying so. Instead, he said yesterday he had nothing to prove on Saturday.
“I don’t think either of us will be out to prove a point on Saturday.
“I am employed by Chippa. We are playing against Free State Stars and not against Middendorp,” he said.
“We have to play our normal game and get three points if possible. He [Middendorp] will also be focusing on his team and not on Chippa United.”
Sikhakhane also shed some light on the Aristide Bance issue.
There have been media reports that the international striker has returned home due to non-payment of fees. Apparently the player was supposed to be paid a signingon fee up front as part of the contract.
The Burkina Faso striker was unveiled by the Port Elizabeth-based soccer club last month.
“We are still waiting for him to return from the national team. We released him to play for his national team as they played against Botswana at the weekend.
“He was supposed to come back to PE [on Tuesday]. He is registered with the club,” Sikhakhane said yesterday. When asked when Bance would make his debut at Chippa, he said: “I don’t know, maybe over the weekend.”
Meanwhile, the international break has given Bloemfontein Celtic time to recover from the pain of missing out on the MTN8 final and now coach Clinton Larsen wants to ensure they move up the Absa Premiership table.
Celtic face Maritzburg United at Harry Gwala Stadium on Saturday (8.15pm).
After clinching their first victory in their third league match, against Orlando Pirates, a couple of weeks ago, Larsen has set the bar high for his players. Celtic are in ninth place, on four points after three matches.
“We had set ourselves a target of reaching eight or nine points after five league matches. If we can get four or six points in our next two matches then we will be happy.
“The break was good for us. We have been working very hard,” Larson said.
He will have captain Bevan Fransman back from injury after he missed the MTN8 semifinal defeat to Kaizer Chiefs. – Additional reporting by Tshepang Mailwane