Chippa begin preparation for training camp in EL
Taking a tight schedule into account, Chippa United have already started preparing for preseason even though they still have to survive relegation in the current campaign.
Although saving their Absa Premiership status is top of their priority list, Chippa’s COO Lukhanyo Mzinzi said the club was attempting to kill two birds with one stone.
He said the players will not be given much time for a break in between finishing the season and starting up again.
“Of course the focus is on finishing the season,” Mzinzi said.
“So we will be doing both jobs at the same time. But we think that we are ready for anything that might happen.
“We will probably give our players a very short break. We expect the PSL will resume within a month or so after we complete the season.
“We don’t think we are going to get a long break. We have made our players aware of that to such an extent that what we have done is to make sure that we don’t only renew player contacts for this two months but longer for many of those who we think we will still want in the team.
“Our club is very balanced. Even the new coach is impressed with what we have. We don’t think we will be signing a lot of players come end of this season.
“We are looking at the youngsters who are training with the squad for the first time. There are a number of youngsters we have announced on this platform who we have signed from around the Eastern Cape and who are part of the first team setup.”
Mzinzi said there were also two or three players that were training with the first team including a young goalkeeper from PE.
He said the team’s goal was to make sure that Chippa promotes the players who are in their development structures but also adds one or two players from the lower leagues just to balance the team.
“We have the school of excellence that is funded by the provincial government here to make sure that they assist us with the preseason camp.
“We might go to East London for another week or two to camp and also do our CSI work in both metros.
“We think we will remain in the Eastern Cape. We might take one trip to Gauteng or Durban just to play friendlies.”
Chippa are due to enter the biobubble in Johannesburg on Monday as they prepare for their first restart fixture against Cape Town City at the Orlando Stadium next Friday.
The results of the remaining six matches will be instrumental in determining the future of the Chilli Boys in the league.