Chippa’s madness continues

JOHANNESBURG. — Twenty-two men have coached Chippa United in just over eight years since the club’s promotion to the South African Premiership football in 2012.

Dan “Dance” Malesela, with his return announced on Sunday, does not add to this number with this being his fourth stint at the club. However, he does become the staggering 28th coaching appointment made by United’s notoriously fickle club chairman Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi in eight-and-a-half seasons in the South African Premier Soccer League.

This is because three men have coached Chippa in the top-flight in more than one stint. They are Roger Sikhakhane (three times, though he also served as a technical director twice), Vladislav Heric (twice) and now Malesela four times.

An equally mind-blowing stat is that, taking 2020-21 as only a half-season, that averages out at 3.29 coaches per campaign for those eight-and-a-half years in the PSL  . . .  and counting.

South Africa’s Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula has weighed in on the latest Chippa United and Malesela reunion, saying the “abuse” of Malesela was getting on his nerves.

Malesela was again appointed as Chippa United’s head coach on Sunday. He will be coach until the end of the 2020-21 season‚ with an option to renew for a season.

His appointment comes a week after he was fired by DStv Premiership new boys TS Galaxy.

This is Malesela’s fourth reunion with Chippa United. He was first put on “special leave” in April of the 2016-17 season‚ then reinstated for the last few matches.

He was fired in September of the 2017-18 season by club chairman Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi and replaced by his assistant‚ Teboho Moloi.

Malesela was also fired by Chippa in March 2018 and later in August 2018‚ just three matches into the 2018-19 season.

Taking to Twitter, Mbalula said Malesela did a good job as a coach, but was dismissed “like a dog”.

He said Mpengesi was “abusing” Malesela because he knows he is vulnerable.

“This thing of Chippa abusing Dan Dance like this, it’s getting on my nerves. Malesela did a good job for him there over time and he dismissed him like a dog, nje because he knows the guy is vulnerable. Sad. This is not how you treat a fellow human being,” said Mbalula.

 

The full list of head coaching appointments at Chippa United in the Premiership is:

1. Manqoba Mngqithi Jul 9, 2012 – August 20, 2012
2. Julius Dube (caretaker) August 23, 2012 — September 12, 2012
3. Roger Sikhakhane September 13, 2012 — October 28, 2012
4. Farouk Abrahams October 28, 2012 — January 29, 2013
5. Wilfred Mugeyi January 29, 2013 – April 11, 2013
6. Mark Harrison April 12, 2013 – October 7, 2013
7. Ian Palmer October 8, 2013 – January 27, 2014
8. Vladislav Heric January 29, 2014 – June 30, 2014
9. Kosta Papic July 1, 2014 – September 3, 2014
10. Roger Sikhakhane (caretaker, then full-time) September 4, 2014 — January 5, 2015
11. Ernst Middendorp January 5, 2015 — March 30, 2015
12. Mich d’Avray (caretaker) March 30, 2015 — May 5, 2015
13. Velile “Eddie” Dyaloyi (caretaker) May 5, 2015 — June 30, 2015
14. Roger Sikhakhane July 1, 2015 — December 8, 2015
15. Dan Malesela (caretaker, then full-time) December 8, 2015 – April 27, 2017
16. Mbuyiselo Sambu (caretaker) April 28, 2017 — May 16, 2017
17. Dan Malesela May 17, 2017 — September 14, 2017
18. Teboho Moloi September 14, 2017 — March 3, 2018
19. Vladislav Heric March 3, 2018 – June 30, 2018
20. Dan Malesela July 1, 2018 – August 22, 2018
21. Eric Tinkler August 22, 2018 – December 2, 2018
22. Joel Masutha December 2, 2018 — January 10, 2019
23. Clinton Larsen January 11, 2019 — September 16, 2019
24. Duran Francis (caretaker) September 17, 2019 – September 30, 2019
25. Norman Mapeza October 1, 2019 — March 3, 2020
26. Rulani Mokwena March 4, 2020 – July 5, 2020
27. Lehlohonolo Seema July 6, 2020 — (suspended on December 23, 2020)
28. Dan Malesela December 27, 2020 — TimesAlive.