New coach Dan Malesela was candid about his approach to trying to turn around a losing position when Chippa United went into half-time a goal down in their weekend home match against Bloemfontein Celtic.
“Obviously I made some threats at half-time. What I said to the players is either you decide what you want to do or we stay in the change room. And we go and tell the referee we are not interested.
“‘I can do that’, I told them. ‘We can forfeit the game, it’s alright’. The work rate was a bit low.”
Malesela’s harsh words did the trick as Chippa came out and equalised almost immediately at the start of the second half and went on to win Friday night’s game 2-1 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
“That was very pleasing and you can see the players can take instruction. It was also pleasing to see there were glimpses of what we are trying to do with quick passing and good movement.
“I was aware it was tough for the players to come back efficiently from a big break like we’ve just had and suddenly we are in an official match, it’s on television, and it’s a high-pressure game.”
Malesela was taking charge of his first match in the top flight after previously working for several clubs in the National First Division.
“I didn’t feel nervous about my first PSL game, but I was a bit concerned that what we had been working on in training would not come out on the field. It helps that I have coached before against top clubs in Nedbank Cup games. If I can handle a game against Kaizer Chiefs, I reckon I can handle anything,” he quipped.
Meanwile, Serame Letsoaka might have started on a losing note in his tenure with Celtic, but the new coach is insisting on looking at the positive side of the weekend loss to Chippa.
“I’m definitely disappointed in the result and maybe a better result for us would have been a draw under the circumstances, but for me a loss is a temporary setback and it also gives me an indication of what I need to work on going forward,” Letsoaka said.
The Free State club, which surprisingly parted ways with Clinton Larsen last month, now has gone six successive league games without a win and continue to slip down the standings after a strong start to the season.
“A loss always teaches you, but when you win you overlook a lot of things that you normally would have been working on. So this loss gives us an opportunity to learn and work on the things we did not do well.”
Letsoaka bemoaned the inability of his side to pass and the unforced errors that characterised their performance.
“They didn’t even force us to make the mistakes we were making. When 80% of your work in training is basically passing and moving and then you come to a game of this nature and you don’t see it happen, you are disappointed.”
Celtic players went off on holiday after the match and will return on January 2 to prepare for their next match – away against Ajax Cape Town on January 8, which will be the first Premier Soccer League match of the new year.
Chippa United all fired up after tough pep talk
“Obviously I made some threats at half-time. What I said to the players is either you decide what you want to do or we stay in the change room. And we go and tell the referee we are not interested.
“‘I can do that’, I told them. ‘We can forfeit the game, it’s alright’. The work rate was a bit low.”
Malesela’s harsh words did the trick as Chippa came out and equalised almost immediately at the start of the second half and went on to win Friday night’s game 2-1 at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth.
“That was very pleasing and you can see the players can take instruction. It was also pleasing to see there were glimpses of what we are trying to do with quick passing and good movement.
“I was aware it was tough for the players to come back efficiently from a big break like we’ve just had and suddenly we are in an official match, it’s on television, and it’s a high-pressure game.”
Malesela was taking charge of his first match in the top flight after previously working for several clubs in the National First Division.
“I didn’t feel nervous about my first PSL game, but I was a bit concerned that what we had been working on in training would not come out on the field. It helps that I have coached before against top clubs in Nedbank Cup games. If I can handle a game against Kaizer Chiefs, I reckon I can handle anything,” he quipped.
Meanwile, Serame Letsoaka might have started on a losing note in his tenure with Celtic, but the new coach is insisting on looking at the positive side of the weekend loss to Chippa.
“I’m definitely disappointed in the result and maybe a better result for us would have been a draw under the circumstances, but for me a loss is a temporary setback and it also gives me an indication of what I need to work on going forward,” Letsoaka said.
The Free State club, which surprisingly parted ways with Clinton Larsen last month, now has gone six successive league games without a win and continue to slip down the standings after a strong start to the season.
“A loss always teaches you, but when you win you overlook a lot of things that you normally would have been working on. So this loss gives us an opportunity to learn and work on the things we did not do well.”
Letsoaka bemoaned the inability of his side to pass and the unforced errors that characterised their performance.
“They didn’t even force us to make the mistakes we were making. When 80% of your work in training is basically passing and moving and then you come to a game of this nature and you don’t see it happen, you are disappointed.”
Celtic players went off on holiday after the match and will return on January 2 to prepare for their next match – away against Ajax Cape Town on January 8, which will be the first Premier Soccer League match of the new year.
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