Chippa United must not allow themselves to become distracted by a pay dispute saga which has reared its head at the worst possible time for the embattled club.
It emerged last week that Chippa had been slapped with an enforced transfer ban by Fifa for three consecutive windows because of a pay dispute with former head coach Luc Eymael.
The international football mother body issued Chippa with a 45-day window to pay Eymael an estimated R250,000 plus 5% interest annually.
A deadline they missed which triggered the ban.
Chippa moved quickly to downplay the dispute, saying it was an ongoing administrative matter and was being addressed in good spirit between the club and Eymael.
They said there was a positive and professional understanding between both parties, with efforts being made to bring the matter to a close.
The statement said the amount in question was closer to R200,000.
While this messy saga plays out, relegation-threatened Chippa have five games remaining in the league, and their next match is against AmaZulu at the Princess Magogo Stadium in Durban on April 25.
They are currently in 13th place on the log and could become embroiled in a relegation battle if results do not go their way in the final weeks of the season.
Chippa head coach Vusi Vilakazi has put a brave face on the impasse, saying it will not affect his shaping of the club.
An optimistic Vilakazi believes he has enough experienced personnel in his arsenal to carry him through this season and that he can continue with the same players next season if necessary.
At the time, he said nobody had spoken to him about the ban and that he was going about his business to keep the club afloat.
Belgian Eymael left Chippa in October 2025 after a poor run of results and was replaced by Vilakazi.
This pay row is not a good look for a club who in the past have attracted controversy with their frequent hiring and firing of coaches.
At this crucial stage of the season, Chippa must keep their eye on the ball as they fight for survival.
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