Lentjies unfazed by swinging axe at Chippa
String of poor results leaves coach in limbo
After witnessing many coaches being fired at Chippa United while he was still a player, Kurt Lentjies is not fazed with the possibility of an axe falling on him if he doesn't halt the club's rapid decline.
Chippa, who sacked Gavin Hunt towards the end of last year, are struggling in the relegation zone with three points ahead of bottom side TS Galaxy.
But what will be concerning for notoriously trigger-happy club chairman Siviwe Mpengesi is the most recent successive defeats to University of Pretoria [Nedbank Cup] and Mamelodi Sundowns in the DStv Premiership following the long break.
Lentjies, however, feels he is still the right man to lead the team. “I have been working under pressure my whole life, so I don’t feel it at all,” he told the media after their 0-2 defeat to Sundowns on Monday.
“I can take this loss with a smile... whether I’m staying here for the next two days or a year... let it be. I’m accepting where I am. I wouldn't have said 'yes' if I couldn’t believe that I will motivate the players and work towards what we want to achieve at the end of the season.”
The 36-year-old is optimistic that the club will survive relegation, with just 12 matches remaining. “Changes have already happened and what we have instilled in the players is not looking behind us, we want to target the next team that is above us,” Lentjies said.
Chippa's next match will be against Royal AM on February 19 at Sisa Dukashe Stadium.