Dan Malesela’s contract at Chippa United will be terminated within the next 24 hours‚ the coach’s representative‚ Tim Sukazi‚ has said.
Malesela has been put on leave by Chippa following a run of nine league matches without a win‚ which Sukazi said was a formality while the details of the settlement agreement are worked out.
“The club gave him a letter asking him to take leave‚ which obviously is leading to the actual termination of his contract‚” Sukazi explained on Thursday morning.
“We know‚ the club knows. The reason they did it that way was because yesterday (on Wdednesday) we couldn’t get into doing a settlement agreement and finalising the necessary paperwork.
“I was out with my work‚ and ‘Chippa’ (club chairman Siviwe Mpengesi) was busy.
“So whilst that is pending Dan has been put on leave and we expect to conclude the settlement agreement and sign it within the next 24 hours. So he’s out.”
Chippa began the season brightly‚ Malesela’s attacking football earning much praise as they were unbeaten in their first six matches.
A notable fan was Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane‚ who tipped the Chilli Boys to be up among the front-runners.
But Chippa have not won in the league since a 2-1 home victory against Baroka FC on February 7.
Mpengesi has‚ by his past‚ trigger-happy standards‚ shown some restraint‚ but Tuesday night’s 3-2 home defeat against Maritzburg United at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium appears to have been the final straw.
This despite Chippa being through to the semifinals of the Nedbank Cup‚ where they face SuperSport United in Port Elizabeth on May 20.
“The results in the league did not come. Chippa are doing well in the cup but there is more weight and significance for them staying in the league than the cup‚” Sukazi acknowledged.
“Dan is not necessarily disappointed‚ even at this outcome. He knows that the coach’s job is a results-orientated one.
“So he accepts that lately the results were not forthcoming. But then of course he also strongly believes that they were not going to get relegated.
“But he accepts and respects the club’s decision.”
Chippa’s Nedbank semi is their second this season‚ having also reached the last four of the MTN8‚ where they lost 1-0 on aggregate to Sundowns over two legs in September.
Malesela’s assistant‚ Mbuyiselo Sambu‚ is expected to take over as caretaker-coach.
