Leroy Maluka: Chippa United set to hire ex-Finland-based pro as fitness trainer

Chippa United are poised to appoint South African-born performance specialist Leroy Maluka as the club’s new fitness trainer ahead of the upcoming Betway Premiership season, BBC Sport understands.

International expertise for Eastern Cape side

Sources close to the Gqeberha-based team say the 40-year-old is expected to join the Chilli Boys’ technical set-up as they prepare for the new campaign, in a move aimed at sharpening the squad’s physical edge.

“Leroy is expected to join Chippa as the fitness trainer. The club believes his international experience will add value to the technical team, and everyone is looking forward to the new season with him coming in,” a source told the Siya crew.

Maluka, who was born in Bishop Lavis in Cape Town, left South Africa in 2010 to pursue a playing career in Finland. He turned out for several sides in the Nordic country before hanging up his boots in 2021.

His anticipated arrival is seen as part of a broader effort by Chippa United to modernise and professionalise their backroom operations, bringing in specialists with experience of European football environments.

From Bishop Lavis to Finland’s professional ranks

After more than a decade abroad, Maluka has built a reputation in Scandinavia both on and off the pitch. Once his playing days concluded, he shifted his focus to sports performance and coaching.

He became Head of Fitness at Finnish club Espoon Palloseuran Jalkapallo (EPS), where he was responsible for overseeing players’ physical conditioning and worked closely with the coaching staff to integrate performance data and training methodologies into daily practice.

In addition to his fitness role, Maluka has acted as an assistant coach, broadening his understanding of tactical and technical demands at senior level. This dual experience is believed to be one of the reasons Chippa United are keen to bring him in, as South African clubs increasingly look to blend traditional coaching with specialist support staff.

UEFA-qualified specialist with Premier League exposure

Maluka holds a UEFA B coaching licence alongside formal qualifications in fitness and exercise, underlining his transition from player to performance expert. He has continued to seek development opportunities in elite environments.

In 2024, he revealed that he had spent time with English club Burnley, observing their performance department and exchanging ideas with members of the technical team. That stint, at a club then operating within the high-intensity demands of English football, allowed him to study contemporary approaches to conditioning, recovery and data-led performance analysis.

His time in Finland, combined with exposure to the structures at Burnley, means he would arrive at Chippa United with a blend of practical and academic knowledge of elite-level preparation.

Boost for Chippa’s Betway Premiership ambitions

Should the deal be finalised, Maluka will add more than a decade of international football experience to Chippa’s backroom staff as they gear up for the new Betway Premiership campaign.

Chippa United, who have often battled in the lower reaches of South Africa’s top flight, are looking to stabilise their league position and improve consistency. Upgrading their conditioning and fitness programmes is seen as a key part of that process, with clubs across the division increasingly turning to performance specialists to reduce injuries and sustain high-intensity play over a long season.

While the club has yet to make an official announcement, insiders suggest Maluka’s appointment is imminent, with pre-season preparations already under way in the Eastern Cape.

If confirmed, his return to South African football after more than 10 years abroad would mark a notable homecoming – and signal Chippa United’s intent to align more closely with international standards of player fitness and performance.