Evolving Betway Premiership side Chippa United have made significant additions to their technical team, bringing in highly regarded former Orlando Pirates sports scientist Morten Ridgard and performance analyst Prinil Deen, who recently left Mamelodi Sundowns.
These strategic moves are spearheaded by newly appointed sporting director Sinesipho Mali, who is actively reshaping the club’s structure.
Mali, less than a month into his role as SD of the Chilli Boys, has wasted no time in implementing sweeping changes. Following the departures of former head coach Thabo September and assistant coach Mabhuti Khenyeza, the club has made a series of new appointments.
Sinethemba Badela, formerly an assistant coach at Wydad AC, now leads a youthful technical team that includes Musa Nyatama. With the additions of Ridgard and Deen, Mali continues to strengthen the Gqeberha-based club’s technical staff ahead of the new season.
WHAT RIDGARD AND DEEN BRING TO CHIPPA UNITED
Chippa’s new sports scientist, Ridgard, brings over a decade of high-performance sport experience to the Eastern Cape-based club.
He previously worked at Bloemfontein Celtic and contributed his expertise to Bafana Bafana, as well as to Olympic and Paralympic athletes. He holds a BA in Human Movement Sciences and an Honours Degree in Sport Sciences from the University of Free State.
Ridgard recently concluded a two-season tenure with Orlando Pirates, where he was part of Jose Riveiro’s technical team. He announced his departure from the Soweto giants on LinkedIn.
“After two successful seasons at Orlando Pirates Football Club, my time has come to an end. An amazing experience for me. Grateful for the opportunity and especially thankful for the relationships built along the way. Another chapter in the book has been completed and the journey continues.”
His extensive experience in sport science will be crucial for Chippa, as his expertise is vital for optimising athletic potential, preventing injuries, and achieving peak performance. It combines scientific principles with athletic training to provide evidence-based strategies for enhancing performance and well-being.
Meanwhile, performance analyst, Deen, joins the club from Sundowns, having previously worked at Venda FC. He’ll be familiar with new Chippa mentor Badela, who previously served as a DStv Diski Challenge coach at Sundowns.
Deen’s past work includes opposition analysis, post-match evaluations, and analysing individual players. He is also a co-author in the development of the Football Formations Book. His role at the ambitious Betway Premiership club will involve studying the opposition and presenting his findings to the coaching staff and players.
He is also expected to assist in developing the club’s game model by utilising video and data. Deen’s experience from working with Sundowns in both domestic and continental competitions will be invaluable.
Under Mali, a keen student of the game and head tactical analyst for Bafana Bafana appears to be rapidly reshaping Chippa’s structures to align with a modern professional club. His strategic appointments and swift changes signal an intent to significantly improve the club’s fortunes.
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