MPENGESI HAPPY WITH WIN

By Monwabisi Jimlongo

Siwiwe ‘Chippa’ Mpengesi is happy and it’s easy to figure out the source of his happiness.
The Chippa United chairman smiled all the way from the Makhulong Stadium in Tembisa to his hotel room after the Chilli Boys registered a 1-0 away win over DStv Premiership newcomers Sekhukhune United. 
Recently-recruited defender Veluyeke Zulu’s goal, which earned the Chilli Boys three valuable points, was enough reason for Mpengesi to get a good night sleep. 
“This is good. I was in Makhulong and I’m happy with the outcome of the match. I’m not surprised by this win considering how we prepared for this season,” Mpengesi said. 
“We as the management decided to do things differently this season. You can’t do the same thing every season and think you will get good results.”
Ngqamakhwe-born Mpengesi has disclosed that he’s happy with the team that they have assembled and believes that they are going to do well this season.
“Our coach Gavin Hunt has assembled a new team. I’m happy for him. Many people were shocked when he joined a team with problems after coaching a big team like Kaizer Chiefs,” Mpengesi remarked. 
“We decided to bring changes to the team. A coach of Gavin’s calibre comes with demands as he wants to do his job. We know what he did at Bidvest Wits and SuperSport United.” 
Mpengesi added that they have given Hunt space to do things in his own way.
“A coach like Gavin needs to be given space so that he can do his job properly,” Mpengesi said.  
“The first thing he did was to get rid of players whose contracts had expired. He made it clear that he was not gonna renew their contracts. In the past we signed players for coaches, we didn’t do that this time around. We gave Gavin a chance to choose the players he wanted in the team. He released players like Andile Mbenyane, Frederic Nsabiyumva and Ayabulela Konqobe. We would have retained the players if it was up to us as management, but it’s Gavin’s choice. We are not coaches and cannot argue with him. It’s painful to let go of a player like Mbenyane, who’s been with us for many years. Gavin made it clear that he’s got nothing personal against the players he released.”