Menzi Magubane
Trigger-happy Chippa United owner Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi could soon be doing what he does best, which is firing coaches. Mpengesi is known for not wasting time in axing coaches.
Current coach Lehlohonolo Seema could be the 22nd coach to be shown the exit door since Chippa gained top flight promotion eight years ago. Seema’s record so far in the current DStv Premiership campaign is not a pretty sight.
In five matches he has managed to collect five points out of a possible 15, winning one, drawing one and losing the other two.
Coach Seema, the former Orlando Pirates and Lesotho captain, should consider himself lucky. In Mpengesi’s world he has been patient with Seema. Julius Dube was fired after one match, and Manqoba Mngqithi after two.
But Seema’s luck could soon be running out, especially if he fails to get maximum points away at Baroka FC on Sunday, the match kicking off at 3.30pm at the Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. Bad news for Seema is that Baroka are in fine form and are yet to lose at home this season.
Baroka’s display in their 1-1 draw away at Pirates last weekend should tell Seema that he will be up against it on Sunday. In their last match Chippa played a 1-1 draw at home against Limpopo’s new boys Tshakuma Tsha Madivhandila.
Coaches who got the bullet at Chippa since June 2012 when the club got promoted to the country’s premier league:
*Manqoba Mnqgithi (two games)
*Julius Dube (one game)
*Roger Sikhakhane (30 games, over six different spells)
*Farouk Abrahams (six games)
*Wilfred Mugeyi (eight games)
*Mark Harrison (six games)
*Ian Palmer (fired in the lower division, records on number of games not clear)
*Vladislav Heric (eight games)
*Kosta Papic (five games)
*Ernst Middendorp (seven games)
*Mich d’Avray (six games)
*Velile Dyaloyi (sacked in the lower division)
*Clinton Larsen (22 games)
*Eric Tinkler (10 games)
*Dan Malesela (61 games, over five different spells)
*Teboho Moloi (23 games)
*Joel Masutha (five games)
*Duran Francis (one game)
*Norman Mapeza (20 games)
*Mbuyiselo Sambu (long-time assistant coach, served in the interim four times)
*Rhulani Mokwena (loaned from Pirates in February but left Chippa in July after his contract expired. He was in charge for one game.)
Picture source: @farpost
