United, the Premiership rookies,  brought  Manqoba Mngqithi on board to replace Roger Sikhakhane who had guided the outfit from the National First Division to the elite league. And Wits this week sacked Roger De Sa in favour of Antonio Lopez Habas.

The absence of Sikhakhane for  most  of pre-season, due to personal problems, was the reason given by Chippa United boss Chippa Mpengesi for the change.

Mngqithi has a fine record of working with young players and the good run AmaZulu had after his sacking is mostly due to the groundwork he did bringing players like Goodman Dlamini on board.  But he requires a chairman with patience and if Mpengesi gives him time, he can mould a formidable team.

But it is the change of coaches at Wits that has surprised many. De Sa had already started to build a team with experience by acquiring former Bafana Bafana skipper Aaron Mokoena and Matthew Pattison for the upcoming season.

His replacement is even more surprising as Habas left Mamelodi Sundowns under police protection when the Brazilian fans expressed their dissatisfaction.

 Habas will be assisted by Miguel Martinez, breaking the synergy that existed in the team with the academy side. Ironically his “extensive experience at development level” was among the things that swayed Wits to appoint him. The club has one of the best youth structures in the country and when seven of their regular players got injured they held the fort despite flirting with relegation at one time but no doubt the experience was valuable for the young players.

His relationship with the academy will be key to  success for Habas though one thing is for certain – he won’t be escorted by police to avoid angry fans during his tenure with the Clever Boys.  

RUMOUR MILL/

MGOBHOZI

The names of Neil Tovey and Andre Arendse were among those   tipped to be part of Gordon Igesund’s technical team at Bafana Bafana. It is rumoured that Safa told Igesund he couldn’t pick a white assistant. 

QUOTE

“Surprised? It was more than that. I was shocked and stunned and it was for me bordering on disbelief,” former Bidvest Wits coach Roger De Sa, reacts to his sacking.

LETTER

The story of Chippa United owner Chippa Mpengesi of moving from being a security guard to owning a club in the Premiership is an inspirational one. Now the people from Philippi and surrounding areas in Cape Town need to rally behind this team and stop the trend of having more fans for Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates than the local team. - SIVIWE MAKOHLISO (Sunnyside)
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