Coach Thabo September leaves Chippa after demotion

Coach Thabo September has decided to leave Chippa United after being told he would be demoted to an assistant coach for the new season.

September, one of Chippa’s longest-serving coaches, spent 18 months with the Betway Premiership side.

The former SuperSport United defender said he would not be opting for a contract renewal at the end of June.

Sources close to the club say club chair Siviwe Mpengesi is considering Stellenbosch assistant manager Wesley Sergel as a replacement.

The Chilli Boys finished just outside the top-eight bracket with 31 points from 28 matches in the recently completed season.

“Yes, I am leaving the club after my contract finishes,” September said.

“I was told there would be a new coach coming and I was offered an assistant coach role or to work anywhere I would like to within the club.

“However, I did not want to be in the new coach’s way.

“For structure, there is Morgan [Mammilla], we have been working with him, and there is also Mabhuti [Khanyeza].

“I felt it was best for me to go, because I also have a passion for development and I want to do something along those lines.

“So I think expecting the assistant coach role will not help me.

“It’s not what I want to do. I rejected the offer of being an assistant coach or working anywhere, even the DStv Diski Challenge side at the club.”

The 42-year-old former Bush Bucks player joined the club midway through the season in 2022-2023 as co-coach with Kwanele Kopo, who has also since exited the club.

Kopo also declined to renew his contract six months ago.

September, who was at the time demoted to assistant coach, then took over the reins once more as the club’s head coach, with Khanyeza as his assistant.

He said he had grown as a coach over the 18 months he spent with Chippa.

September collected only 17 points from the 20 matches he was in charge of, winning four matches and drawing five.

“The growth to be working with Kopo and the chair and the other coaches I have worked with at the club, I have gained a lot of experience out of it.

“Also, the running of a football club as well as the challenges, and so on. I feel we go on from here and we’ve improved the club.

“We have managed to promote a lot of young players, the club now has two Kombis, so on and off the field there have been some positive changes.

“They are in a good space to rebuild in terms of development.

“Also, for the past two seasons we have managed to avoid relegation with five games or so to go, so it was a good thing as well.

“Hopefully, it continues like that and the club stay in the league, and they move on to better situations where they get into the top eight.”

The Herald