Jonty Mark

By Jonty Mark

Football Editor


Chaotic Chippa make yet another coaching change

'Club chairman Siviwe Mpengesi has called upon all Chilli Boys faithfuls to rally behind the Gqeberha-born native and his charges.,' read a club statement.


Chippa United announced on Monday that they have effectively sacked another head coach, with Kurt Lentjies redeployed to coach the Chilli Boys’ DStv Diski Challenge team.

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Lentjies will be replaced at the helm of the senior team by Siyabulela Gwambi, who has been appointed in a caretaker role for the rest of the season.

Chippa lost 2-0 at home to Orlando Pirates on Saturday, which seems to have been the final straw for club management, with the Eastern Cape side struggling to stay out of relegation trouble.

Lentjies was only appointed at the end of February, as a replacement for Morgan Mamilla, who was only given the job last September, after the club sacked Daine Klate.

Chippa are currently 14th in the DStv Premiership table, just one place and two points above the relegation zone, with five games left to go in the season.

A son of the soil

Gwambi, who is from the Gqeberha region, has been on the Chippa coaching staff since 2020, and was previously an assistant coach to Gavin Hunt, Klate, Lehlohonolo Seema and Lentjies, while he also took on the caretaker head coach role once before, in April 2021.

“Gwambi has been a loyal servant of the club having acquired his Caf License A coaching credentials,” read a statement from Chippa on Monday.

“Club chairman Siviwe Mpengesi has called upon all Chilli Boys faithfuls to rally behind the Gqeberha-born native and his charges.”

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