OPINION | Chippa United chase rare silverware
Chippa United have managed to chalk up an unending list of scraps both on and off the soccer field in their short top-flight history.
Fighting relegation and rolling out new coaches has become the norm for the Eastern Cape soccer club.
Controversy has lurked around every corner and hung like a dark cloud over their heads in recent years.
Many soccer followers and observers take potshots at them on social media at every given opportunity.
Ahead of Saturday’s Nedbank Cup final, Chippa boss Siviwe Mpengesi finally admitted it had not done their public image any favours.
“This is an opportunity for us as a team to redeem ourselves and our image that has been affected due to a lot of negative things that have happened all these years,” Mpengesi said.
The straw that broke the camel’s back was this season’s ridiculous double attempt to appoint controversial Belgian coach Luc Eymael.
Again, Mpengesi confessed on Tuesday.
“I must say after this Luc Eymael saga, I really don’t have the energy to be talking about coaches, we must talk about winning matches now,” Mpengesi said.
“Really, the Luc Eymael thing has drained me.”
And us too, Mr Chair.
But Mpengesi knows his team have two shots at redemption over the next few weeks.
Besides attempting to win their umpteenth fight to avoid relegation, the squad have a rare opportunity to win some silverware for the club and the people of the Eastern Cape.
Bloemfontein sets the scene for Chippa’s greatest moment as they face Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila (TTM) in the Nedbank Cup final at Free State Stadium on Saturday (6pm).
It is a chance for Chippa to begin repairing the way they are perceived by the public and also to prove they deserve to be mentioned among the big-hitters in the Premier Soccer League structures.
Mpengesi will be desperate to see his team raise the trophy into Bloem's night sky.
He will also be aware of the harsh reality that nobody remembers who comes second.
History only remembers winners and their successful path to the final will mean very little if they do not beat their Limpopo opponents.
But TTM will be no pushovers.
They too are playing in their first final and because they are also fighting against Chippa United on the league relegation front, it adds even more significance to the final.
Saturday’s winner will have a decided psychological advantage in that battle heading down the final straight of the DStv Premiership.
Eastern Cape fans will be hoping Chippa manage to triumph on both fronts.