‘Chippa’ sidelines his coach
Malesela put on special leave as Chippa United battle to get out of relegation zone
Chippa United have hit the panic button with the very foundations of the club under threat by their potential relegation from the top flight. The club placed coach Dan Malesela on special leave, despite him taking them to within two victories of a first trophy by booking a spot in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals. And this after leading the side to a record sixth-place finish in the Absa Premiership last season.
It is their league form this campaign that has owner Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi worried because relegation would spell disaster for the club. Their deal to be based in Port Elizabeth and use the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium is dependent on them being able to provide top-flight football, and another relegation would leave the future of the team uncertain.
Malesela last week questioned his side’s men- tal state after a 3-2 home loss to Maritzburg United, perhaps inadvertently prompting Mpengesi to make his move.
“I think we missed the strong character, where there’s a will from everybody to win. I don’t have to sit on the bench and drive the players and tell them do this and that. They must drive themselves,” he said.
“We are not a team that has issues in terms of paying the personnel, but we just lack the will not to crack under pressure.”
Assistant coach Mbuyiselo Sambu has been elevated to the caretaker coach role and started with a 2-1 loss against Orlando Pirates in Soweto on Saturday night, plunging the club into further trouble.
“It is not only about me and the technical team, but all of us to unite in the fight to improve our situation in the league,” he said. “We are carrying the hopes of our fans that have given so much to the club.
“The support we have received from the people of the Eastern Cape Province, including neutrals, has been tremendous. We all know the importance of every game we play.”
Their cup run aside, Chippa have won none of their last 11 league matches, drawing five and losing six. That has left them just two points above bottom side Highlands Park with four matches left to play this season.
They have two tough home matches to come against Ajax Cape Town and SuperSport United, and are away at fellow relegation-threatened sides Highlands Park and Free State Stars before the end of the campaign. Chippa were previously relegated after their maiden top-flight season in the 2012-13 campaign, but bounced back immediately and Malesela led them to sixth position in 2015-16. Club owner Mpengesi, however, is known to be trigger-happy with his hiring and firing of coaches - Malesela’s 17 months in charge so far is comfortably the longest in the club’s history.
Since the promotion of the team to the Premier League almost five years ago, there have been 15 coaching changes at the side, an average of three per season. That includes three spells for Roger Sikhakhane, who is currently leading Thanda Royal Zulu to the Premier League from the National First Division, as well as short stints for leading names such as Manqoba Mngqithi, Kosta Papić and Ernst Middendorp.