Chippa fires again - But claim 'lies'

Chippa United owner Siviwe "Chippa" Mpengesi has apparently pulled the trigger yet again.

Two club officials, who did not want to be named yesterday, claimed Mpengesi had sacked the entire technical team less than an hour after their 2-0 defeat to Free State Stars at Goble Park Stadium on Saturday.

The loss added to Chippa's woes in their battle to avoid the drop from the Absa Premiership this season.

The Port Elizabeth-based side need three points from their last two league matches against Black Aces and Kaizer Chiefs to stay up.

A club official said Mpengesi had fired caretaker coach Mich d'Avray along with his assistant Fadlu Davids and goalkeeper trainer Brian van den Heever shortly after Chippa were beaten by Stars.

But when contacted, the trigger-happy chairman, who had travelled with the team to Bethlehem, denied it all: "That's not true. You are telling lies because there's nothing like that."

Mpengesi's right-hand man and club CEO Peter Koutroulis promised to comment yesterday, but after being locked "in a meeting", he could not be reached.

This will be Chippa's fourth coaching change of the season after Kosta Papic, Roger Sikhakhane and Ernst Middendorp, who was suspended two months ago because of a string of poor results.