Dikeni urges courage as Chippa face Premiership reckoning

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Chippa United interim coach Nkosohlanga Dikeni has rallied his squad, urging them to show courage and battle fiercely for every point in their final two league matches as they strive to secure the club’s survival in the Betway Premiership.

Chippa face Golden Arrows at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday (3pm), followed by a tough match away to Kaizer Chiefs to finish their Betway Premiership campaign.

They are 13th on the log with 25 points from 28 matches.

They are just two points clear of the relegation playoff spot and four points clear of automatic relegation.

“We have to have ownership first of the club’s situation and then secondly be courageous enough to take the club a little step up from the position that it’s at and save the team’s status,” Dikeni said.

“There is no-one who is unfocused.

“We all understand how important the upcoming games are, and we are all committed because we have all accepted responsibility for where we find ourselves.

“We’ve decided, ‘Okay, look, we have to be courageous in as much as we own up.

“We must be courageous in order to ensure that the team moves forward from where it is currently’.

“So now the focus is on the next two games.

“We face a very difficult game at home against a fresh and well-coached Golden Arrows team.

“You know, they have something to play for, to keep their position and maintain their top eight spot.

“Also, we have something to play for, which is to keep the franchise.

“So, at this time and this stage of the league, you cannot afford to be thinking about home.

“Because if you think about home, you miss the target. Then you are at war. You know that you might not come back home.

“So you have to accomplish the mission and think about home when the mission has been accomplished.

“In terms of injuries, our medical room looks good.

“We want to get maximum points against Golden Arrows on Saturday.”

Dikeni, who recently completed his CAF B coaching licence, is the fifth coach to lead the Gqeberha team this season.

The Chilli Boys’ league campaign began with Sinethemba Badela, followed by Musa Nyatama, Luc Eymael and Vusumuzi Vilakazi, who was recently fired.

Following Vilakazi’s departure after a 3-1 loss to Sekhukhune United at the Buffalo City Stadium, the Mthatha native was appointed as the club’s interim coach.

After serving as the team’s assistant coach and performance analyst, Dikeni, formerly known as Nkosi in football circles, will manage the team’s final two games of the campaign.

The former mentor at Walter Sisulu University and performance analyst for All Stars FC made his debut as interim head coach in a 1-1 draw against TS Galaxy on the weekend.

Asked if there were any talks between him and the club’s management to continue with his duties next season, Dikeni, an accountant by profession, said his focus was on the field of play.

“My main focus is on the next two games.

“I am not talking about the future, and I am not thinking about the future; I am thinking about Golden Arrows.

“That is all that is on my mind at the moment.

“If there’s anything else, I’ll have to sit down with the family, with my wife and the kids, and we will decide from there.

“But for now, the most important thing is the next two games.”