Club owner’s visit boosts morale as Chili Boys climb PSL table to seventh position

Chippa United coach Brandon Truter has welcomed the support from the club chair Siviwe Mpengesi, saying it gave the team confidence before their 2-0 victory over Stellenbosch at the weekend.

Prior to their match against Stellies at Danie Craven Stadium on Saturday, Mpengesi visited the club to reaffirm his support. Truter said that gave them a different energy as they registered their second victory.

The Chilli Boys are now seventh on the log table with 11 points from nine matches, and Truter is pleased with where they are.

“It was a difficult week for us and an enlightening one, the chairman visited us and he just reaffirmed his belief in the squad and belief in everybody,” Truter said.

“And that gave us a bit of confidence and from there the training was good and the preparations were well and the boys knew what they had to do against Stellenbosch.

“Thanks to their effort we were disciplined in defence; the guys worked their socks off for those results and the biggest obstacle for us now is how we will manage it.”

At Chippa there is a culture where we are trying to end the stigma that’s around the media. The team is doing well at the moment and there’s progress

—  Brandon Truter, Chippa United coach

Truter also launched an attack on the media, claiming they were trying to force him out of his position when results were not coming.

“There has been a lot said in the media about me still being around at Chippa. I don’t really read much of what’s said in the media, but when I have time, I see that they are saying I should’ve been fired,” he said. “But Chippa last season, how many points did they have [at this stage of the season]? They had one, so where are we now and how is the start?

“The media is driving the narrative that I should be fired. Yes, there is pressure, we need to win and we are entertainers as well. But sometimes we need to be mindful of how we do things.

“At Chippa there is a culture where we are trying to end the stigma that’s around the media. The team is doing well at the moment and there’s progress.”

Chippa’s next match is against Kaizer Chiefs on November 28 at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium.