Coach has great chemistry with his players
AS they say, desperate times call for desperate measures and Dan Malesela was granted a reprieve to redeem beleaguered Chippa United from the bottom of the log.
The coach has great chemistry with the players and that works very well for the team – but vulnerability is still there.
The loyalty is a rare trait in the modern game, but Malesela pins huge importance on their bond.
He’s used Chippa’s football brain throughout the highs and lows of his reign with the Port Elizabeth side.
For a team that has thrived as a unit, Chippa looked an awful lot like a bunch of discontented strangers at times on the field.
I haven’t entered Chippa’s dressing room or been in their team talk before a crucial match, but Malesela’s always held the sanctuary of the dressing room with a quasi-religious regard, as I observe from a distance.
I like his brutal honesty after or before the game about his tactics and his respect to an opponent on match day.
He’s not a benevolent dictator with an ego and a persecution complex, but is good with the players.
He lost great players prior to the game, to pose a threat to his game plan, that affected the team’s performance badly and they were forced to battle for survival.
The Chippa players have potential to fight for the championship, but sometimes impulsive decisions from above tarnish the team effort.
I was very angry to see Chippa languishing at the bottom because the team has a good coach.