Brandon Truter says media are driving calls for Chippa United sacking

Chippa United coach Brandon Truter says the media are creating a narrative that he should be dismissed, while the club attempts to move away from its reputation for regularly changing managers.

Truter was speaking after Chippa’s 4-0 defeat by Golden Arrows in the Carling Knockout Cup last weekend, a result which ended their involvement in the competition.

The Chilli Boys have recorded two wins in nine matches across all competitions this season, alongside five draws and three defeats. However, Truter believes their campaign has started more positively than the previous one.

“Yeah, there’s been a lot said in the media about me still being around. I don’t really read it a lot. But when I open something, I see they say I should have been fired or whatever,” he said.

“It’s not nice, it’s not nice, Chippa last season, in December how many games [had they won], December, One. Where are we now? So, how’s the start? How is the start? But the media is driving a narrative that I should be fired, that I should be gone.”

The coach also warned that South African football was losing talented coaches because of increasing pressure for managers to be removed when results are poor.

“We’re losing a lot of coaches in this country. Steve Barker, Manqoba [Mngqithi], Pitso [Mosimane] is back now, Rulani [Mokwena] is gone. Eric [Tinkler] just came back, we’re driving [this narrative],” he added.

“The younger coaches, they need to grow, they need some experience, they need some guiding hands as well. And a lot of our top, top coaches are leaving the country. And that’s because…yes, there should be pressure, there’s always pressure. We must win the games; we are entertainers as well.

“But sometimes, and that’s the part that we…let’s be quiet. Let’s be mindful of what we talk. Let’s check what we put in there as well.”

Truter said Chippa chairman Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi was working to change the club’s approach to coaches and understood that progress required time.

“But Chippa at this moment, there’s a culture that the chairman wants to create. He wants to get rid of the stigma [of firing coaches] as well. He understands the processes.

“We are a bit better than we were last season as well. This is a team at this moment that is doing well, playing well at one moment, yes. We all know the problem at this moment of scoring goals.”

Chippa responded to the cup disappointment by beating Stellenbosch FC 2-0 on Saturday, a result that moved them into seventh place.