Mbuyiselo Sambu named Chippa caretaker coach — again
Image: SYDNEY SESHIBEDI/GALLO IMAGES
Mbuyiselo Sambu will once again stand in as Chippa United’s interim coach while management work around the clock in search of a new head honcho.
As of Monday, the Port Elizabeth Absa Premiership side were without a coach after the club decided not to renew coach Rulani Mokwena’s contract.
Mokwena had been with the Chilli Boys on loan from Orlando Pirates until the end of the season.
Sambu is in charge of Chippa’s MultiChoice Diski Challenge team and it is not the first time he has been tasked with taking care of the senior squad until the new coach is identified.
Chippa COO Lukhanyo Mzinzi on Monday told The Herald that management was busy looking for a suitable person to take charge of the team before the return of the league.
“We are still looking for a coach.
“Sambu will be the coach in the interim as we are still busy with our search,” Mzinzi said.
“We are going through testing of players and staff this week for Covid-19.
“You might be aware that there are only two [testing] labs in Port Elizabeth, which are also serving East London.
“So there is a serious backlog but we hope by the end of the week we will be done with all testing.”
Asked if Chippa had considered enticing Gavin Hunt or Benni McCarthy to the club, Mzinzi said: “No, it’s not a matter of that [money], but it has to do with the technicality.
“I can tell you now Benni is in Scotland.
“There is a travel ban so he is just out of our radar.
“With Gavin Hunt, I am sure he is still focusing on finishing the league with Wits.”
This will be Sambu’s fifth appointment as interim coach at Chippa.
He stood in for two of Dan Malesela’s stints at the club.
He also took charge when caretaker coach Duran Francis was fired and again when Norman Mapeza resigned as coach before Mokwena came in.
On Wednesday, sport, recreation, arts and culture minister Nathi Mthethwa announced the approval for PSL clubs to start training and hosting matches behind closed doors.
The PSL board of governance will sit on Tuesday and it is expected they will then shed some light on when football will return.