Chippa United fires head coach

SunSport has reliably learnt that Dan “Dance” Malesela has been fired by the Port Elizabeth based outfit and will be replaced by former Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United mentor, Eric Tinkler.

Chippa United are the first club in the 2018-19 Absa Premiership campaign to fire a coach.

An insider at the club told SunSport that the club and the coach had a meeting after the first training on Tuesday and that is when the decision of firing Malesela was taken.

Said the source: “We had a training session scheduled for 3pm, but it was cancelled as the coach addressed the players that tomorrow (Wednesday) he won’t be back as there would be a big announcement that will be made by the club. Even the players saw it, it was clear that he has been told some bad news.”

“Eric Tinkler is the man who could be appointed as his replacement.”

Malesela who has coached Chippa before did not have a good start with the club to the 2018-19 campaign as they played lost their first two games (2-0 away against Bloemfontein Celtic and 1-0 at home against 10-man Orlando Pirates) of the Absa Premiership season.

That was followed by a 2-2 draw against newly promoted Black Leopards at Sisa Dukashe Stadium on Saturday.

In an interview on Metro FM on Tuesday evening, Malesela said he had not been informed of any decision that has been taken by the club.

However, he acknowledged that it could happen because it has happened before. “I have been through this kind of process at Chippa before‚ and I would not be surprised if it was true‚” Malesela said.

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