Dan Malesela joining Chippa United as head coach again
Dan Malesela's love-hate romance novel with Chippa United is set to for another chapter as he will be announced as the Chilli Boy's new coach.
SowetanLIVE is reliably informed that former Orlando Pirates captain Malesela - who was fired by DStv Premiership new boys TS Galaxy a week ago - was travelling to Port Elizabeth to take up his new job at Chippa on Sunday.
Chippa's coach who started this season‚ Lehlohonolo Seema‚ was placed on suspension on Tuesday‚ having managed just win one out of eight games in the DStv Premiership this season.
The Eastern Cape club last week attempted to appoint controversial Belgian Luc Eymael as their new head coach. But the Chilli Boys had to withdraw the appointment after strong objections from the SA Football Association (Safa) in connection with racist statements the ex-Polokwane City‚ Black Leopards and Free State Stars coach had made at a previous club.
Eymael was fired by Young Africans FC of Tanzania in July for referring to the clubs' supporters as “monkeys and dogs who know nothing about football”.
This will be Malesela's fourth stint at the club of notoriously fickle chairman Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi.
Malesela was fired from his third stint as Chippa coach in August 2018‚ just three matches - two defeats and a draw - into the 2018-19 season.
He had returned to the club in the preseason. Previously Malesela had been put on a “special leave” by Chippa in April of the 2016-17 season‚ then reinstated for the last few matches. He was then fired by Mpengesi in September of the 2017-18 season and replaced by his assistant‚ Teboho Moloi.
Moloi was fired by Chippa in March 2018 and replaced by Vladislav Heric. Heric became the club’s technical director‚ but was fired in returning from his holidays in Serbia in June. Malesela had been reappointed coach of Chippa in late May.
Malesela was fired at Galaxy after a 3-2 defeat to Cape Town City two Saturdays ago saw them extend their winless run in the PSL to six matches.