Former Maritzburg United and Kaizer Chiefs coach, Ernst Middendorp said there’s absolutely no chance he will go back and coach of Chippa United.
Middendorp, who is clubless after he was let go by Maritzburg United during the off season, was appointed in January 2015 by Chippa United and two months later in March he was shown the door. He was only in charge of seven matches, losing four and drawing three with no victory.
The German tactician said with the way things went about last time he was there, which included “legal stuff” to get his settlement, it is the last job he would take at the moment.
“I appreciate fully what Chippa is doing or trying to do,” Middendorp said to iDiski Times in an exclusive interview on Thursday.
“You can criticize him with numbers of coaches kicking out, or coaches seeing their contracts terminated, all good. But in the end he has one target and one goal: to keep the club in the province. At a certain time you ask yourself if he has the right consultancy around him or not. I see that he wants to make sure he stays in the league.
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“But we had a very different relationship then, that went legal even. But it is good, it is done for me. I think on my side it is not a situation to think about now because we both know it won’t work together.”
Middendorp, who has won two cups in the Premier Soccer League which came at Kaizer Chiefs in his first stint, says he has been busy since the season started doing some research. He has also been conspicuously seen watching PSL matches in the stands.
“I have so much on my table that has been sitting there for years and I have always wanted to be busy with researching,” said Middendorp who has been in charge of 395 matches in the PSL, winning 134, losing 136 and drawing 125.
“Just to give you an input of coaches on what they are doing when they are not in a contracted situation, reflecting, planning. That is what I’m doing right now.”
Meanwhile, Chippa chairman Siviwe Mpengesi said last weekend after his side beat AmaZulu he has previously appointed coaches who have top qualifications in world football, including Middendorp and Gavin Hunt, but that didn’t yield positive results.
He explained the people from the Eastern Cape cannot afford to lose the club and it is why coaches are coming and going at the rapid pace. The latest of those coaches who have been sacked by Chippa was Daine Klate, who was in charge of just seven matches.
He was let go on Thursday last week and the club said they will deploy him elsewhere since he is from the province. Right now Chippa are led by coach Siyabulela Gwambi and assisted by Morgan Mammila until the foreseeable future. The duo won their first game in charge, beating Usuthu 2-1 last weekend in Durban.
Story by Robin-Duke Madlala (@duke_robin).
Chippa Announces Klate Twist
