Former Chippa United head coach, Sinethemba Badela, has made a surprising claim regarding his sudden departure from the club.
Badela, who had a brief tenure, joined the club in July 2025 and exited just two matches into the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season.
During his six-week stint with the Chilli Boys, the former Mamelodi Sundowns DDC mentor oversaw the team in two official games. He was in charge for the 1-1 draw against Sundowns and the 1-0 loss to Durban City. His assistant Musa Nyatama took over in the 4-1 defeat to TS Galaxy.
Despite the abrupt end to his contract, Badela maintains he harbours “no disappointment at all,” choosing instead to see the experience in a positive light.
“I’m not disappointed at all. In fact, I’m grateful for that opportunity. We can plan, but God decides,” Badela told FARPost. While acknowledging an initial let-down, he quickly reframed the situation as divine intervention that cleared the path for personal and professional development.
“Maybe God did not want me to be there at that time; he wanted me to take a little bit of a break, go back to school, equip myself, and improve before I can coach and teach at the highest level. So, I don’t see it in a negative way. I see it in a positive way, so I’m actually very grateful for that experience, and it will shape me and make me a better coach for the future.”
The unexpected break allowed him to focus on critical coaching qualifications. “Had I stayed, would I be able to do this course [CAF A], which is something that I really needed. I don’t think so.”
WHAT SHOCK CLAIM BADELA MADE ABOUT CHIPPA EXIT
While Badela accepts the nature of football management – “you have to win matches” – he remains puzzled as to why the club decided to let him go.
“I think in football you’re required to win matches, but I don’t know if that was the reason that I’m not here because it was never explained to me why I left,” he added. “The club also never made a statement, so I will leave it at that, but I did learn lessons that, at the highest level, you have to win games.”
He also dismissed suggestions of any fundamental disagreement with the club’s hierarchy or technical direction. When asked about potential misalignment, he was unequivocal. “I don’t think so… Everything was clear from the start, from the first day the meetings that I’ve had with the management. I was clear that this is the project which was explained to me, and I also explained to them that this is who I am, this is how I work, so I don’t think there was a misalignment. Sometimes things just don’t work out.”
Badela further clarified that he followed all proper procedures regarding player recruitment, pushing back against reported suggestions of conflicts over signings with the technical team. “Anything technical, anything tactical, I would be involved in that, and I’ve always followed the right procedures,” he noted, citing the protocol of having unattached players train before being offered a contract.
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