Chippa United are in the process of finalising the departure of head coach Sinethemba Badela, and FARPost reveals the real reasons behind his imminent exit, less than 10 weeks after he joined the club.
When Badela was appointed, the club’s new sporting director, Sinesipho Mali, explained on Metro FM Sport that the team’s commitment was to develop a self-sustaining project.
The model focuses on identifying high-potential talents who are often underrated, providing them with a high-performance environment and top-tier coaching to foster growth.
In their pursuit of establishing a suitable environment for their players to thrive, the club also hired former Orlando Pirates sports scientist Morten Ridgard and performance analyst Pranil Deen, who previously worked with Mamelodi Sundowns.
However, the partnership between Mali and Badela quickly soured, with sources revealing conflicts over recruitment, squad planning, and the club’s overall vision.
Envisioned as a long-term project to build a sustainable model without overspending on players, the transfer window exposed a misalignment. There was a growing concern that Badela did not fully grasp the club’s vision, as he described the team as comprising amateur players who did not meet the standards of the top flight.
THE POTENTIAL SIGNINGS BADELA REJECTED
The club was eager to sign both Thabiso Kutumela and Somila Ntsundwana from Richards Bay FC. However, Badela stated that they did not meet his standards. Ntsundwana is still at home in the Eastern Cape without a club, while Kutumela is at CHAN, where he has scored twice and assisted in two games.
Indications suggest that Badela was also resistant to sign Medupi Thokolo, believing he was not yet ready for the big stage. Thokolo, who later signed for Sekhukhune United, has had a strong start in top-flight football.
The 21-year-old, who moved from Casric Stars, was named Man of the Match in Sekhukhune’s 1-0 victory over Pirates.
Chippa started their Betway Premiership campaign with a 1-1 draw against defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns. They came back from behind courtesy of a Khanya Mfecane strike. In their second game, they suffered a narrow 1-0 loss to Durban City FC.
The Chilli Boys signed the likes of Goodman Mosele, Azola Tshobeni, Sammy Seabi, Elson Ayanda Sithole, Thamsanqa Magwaza, Mfecane and Thulani Mini. Abdoulaye S. Mariko is on loan from Orlando Pirates. The 21-year-old wing duo of Sisanda Phoyisa Mbhele and Bandile Dlamini from Royal AM are their latest signings.
Speaking at the Betway Premiership launch, he admitted they “always disagree on things.” He downplayed the issue, saying, “If you find people you work with who agree on everything, then you know there’s a problem there.
“But I wouldn’t say there are fights. We’re all following the ambition of the Chairman [Siviwe Mpengesi], the direction that he wants us to take. We’re trying our best every single day to follow the lead from the Mpengesi family.”
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