Local soccer’s latest fairytale, the newly-promoted Chippa
United have hardly been in the PSL for too long
although that did not stop the team from taking part in South African
football’s favourite pastime – changing coaches (also commonly referred to as
“redeployment”).
The Chili
Boys, founded in 2010, have experience a rapid rise up into the elite league
of South Afrcian soccer, achieving promotion in every season of their
existence. Their owner, Siviwe
"Chippa" Mpengesi, has come a long way and after hearing his
rags-to-riches story on radio recently one could not help but have a bit of a
soft spot for Chippa United. Mpengesi is not like most owners in that he is not
aiming for mere survival or a mid-table finish.
In a live radio interview, he stated that Chippa United is here to compete
for the title. In a print interview, Mpengesi said that, “In five years' time,
I want Chippa to be the third-best supported team after Chiefs and Pirates”. The club’s story (or short history) and the owner’s
ambition almost tempt a neutral soccer fan, like myself, to lend them my
support but let’s take look a few worrying “tendencies” shown by the Chilli
Boys.
A brand new
Coach
“We have a coach who
understands our team culture; I can't afford to have someone that will come
with a different philosophy.” – Chippa Mpengesi
The Chilli Boys have already changed their head coach before the PSL season has even kicked
off, hiring Manqoba Mngqithi (only giving him a one-year deal) to replace Roger
Sikhakhane, who the club claim is sick (Sikhakhane has denied these claims). As far as the PSL goes, we are now used to
hearing “questionable’ reasons for dismissal (no, Pitso! You don’t fall under
that category), I am however surprised that Chippa Mpengesi decided to hire the
experienced Mngqithi and replace Sikhakhane after repeatedly stating that he had
faith in Sikhakhane and would back him throughout the season. Considering that the Chilli
Boys are aiming for the PSL title, one can’t help
but think of what will happen should Mngqithi lose the opening three or four
games. Will Mpengesi stand by his man?
Or will the Chilli Boys head coach be “redeployed”?
And what happens should the next coach after Mngqithi not manage to achieve
title-winning results? This makes me wonder about how realistic Mpengesi’s
goals are and the stability of the tea.
If the Chilli Boys become one of those
teams that have four or five coaches in a season they could easily find
themselves relegated at the end of the season and quickly forgotten. We may yet
get to know the full story behind Sikhakhane’s redeployment but I say that when
it comes to changing caches the Chilli Boys should just “chill”.
Becoming a
dumping zone for the bigger clubs
Although Chippa United are yet to unveil all
their signings for the upcoming season, the season-long loan deals for Orlando
Pirates’ Cyril Mashego, Linda Shiba, Sibusiso Mnguni have been confirmed with
reports also claiming that the Chilli Boys are interested in
loan deals for fringe players from Soweto giants, Kaizer Chiefs.
For newly-promoted team with low
expectations, the “we-are going-loan-every-reject-from-big-teams” strategy is
usually a good way to avoid relegation while trying to establish the team in the
Premier Soccer League. However, Chippa United are no average team and their
owner does not have average dreams.
Chippa Mpengesi’s goal is to challenge for the title. He has made
unequivocal statements on radio platforms stating his intentions. With that
being said, no team has ever won the league with a team loaded with loanees
from the big teams. Signing an experience player who has played for a big team
and for Bafana Bafana would have been a better idea. Does the name Katlego Mashego ring a bell,
anyone?
The club’s actions in the transfer market
have so far not matched the owner’s stated ambition. If other clubs, and, more
importantly, the masses that fill up Philippi stadium are to take the team
seriously, actions must match statements. If you are going to act like a feeder club or
a dumping breeding ground for the likes
of Orlando Pirates then their public statements should not sell us a different
idea. We all know how fickle South African fans are, and I hope that Manqoba
Mngqithi will not have to be escorted out of Philippi stadium due to less than
satisfactory results when the transfer dealings have no given him a platform
for a title challenge.
Playing home
games, away
This will not necessarily affect the team’s
league standing at the end of the season as much as the above-mentioned factors
but it is an issue that annoys me.
Besides bigger gate-takings, I do
not understand why smaller teams give up their main advantage and practically
give up 9 points in a season against the Big Three (Mamelodi Sundowns, Orlando
Pirates, and Kaizer Chiefs) by playing
these “home” games at bigger venues. To my knowledge, Bidvest Wits is the one
of the only teams that has been willing to play Kaizer Chiefs at their very
small home venue. In the English Premier
League, one will not find Blackburn Rovers, for example, playing their home
game against a heavyweight like Manchester United at bigger stadium. At end of the season those 3 points could
mean the difference between relegation and survival. More importantly, how do
you expect a loyal fan base in a certain area when you only bring games against
the smaller teams to town yet take away the real treat of the season to another
stadium?
The PSL season only begin in August. Can
Manqoba Mngqithi work his magic and get the team to buy into his philosophy
within a month? Will Chippa United surprise us in the transfer market while
also scooping the free agent, Katlego Mahsego? And will the Philippi stadium
become the new Independent Stadium (remember Umtata Bush Bucks’ “slaughter
house”?), a venue where PSL teams struggle to get away with any points? Time will tell. As a neutral, I am happy to
see another fresh face in the PSL and d hope this season will be as exciting as
the 2011/2012 season.
'Til next time!
Thomas Monyepao
Am really surprised that the team was established in 2010 and now they are in the PSL. They must be doing something right to achieve such a feast. Am also happy that the team is aiming for the title instead of surviving relegation.
ReplyDeleteThey must definitely be doing something right in the boardroom to have such success in two short years. But aiming for the title is a bit unrealistic don't you think? And such statements also put a lot of media attention and pressure on the players. Look at Moroka Swallows last season, their aim was to challenge for the title but by not making public statements they avoided creating unnecessary pressure on the players. Plus with a new coach (just like Kaizer Chiefs, for example) I think that immediately decreases a team's chances of success.But, as I said, time will tell
DeleteI think the existence of the PSL is so that all the teams can compete for the trophy (no.1) if a team fails then it would occupy one of the available 15 slots. So for me its a good target, the only question would be having enough capacity/depth to sustain them the whole season. We shall see.
DeleteHahahaha Sabza, ever the idealist. Yes, a league is meant for all 16 to compete for the title in theory but reality differs greatly in most/all leagues in the world. They should simply aim for survival and grow and improve every season. Maybe, this is all just a publicity stunt to get support in the Western Cape, just maybe.
Deletefavourite pastime haha! Seriously though aren't these the same tendencies that relegated Black Leopards the last time out for example? But that's the life of a coach I guess. Many people will argue good enough for the 1st division doesn't mean good enough for Premiership. We'll see won't we? I agree with your point about free agents vs. loanees (who may not even be allowed to face their clubs), too short-term. Obviously taking matches to bigger venues is a purely business decision? $$$
ReplyDeleteJa, but these business decision irk me. For now I want to see how long Mngqithi will last, because if he doesn't, chances are neither will Chippa in the PSL.
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