Ambitious new Chippa United head coach Sinethemba Badela aims to put an end to the club’s revolving coach door by ensuring a prolonged stay at the Betway Premiership side.
The 35-year-old’s first target will be to beat former coach Dan “Dance” Malesela’s 20-month stay at the Gqeberha-based side.
Sterkspruit-born Badela, who was Rulani Mokwena’s assistant coach for the Moroccan side Wydad AC, replaced Thabo September.
September, 42, was also one of Chippa’s longest-serving coaches, having spent 18 months with the club.
Badela kicked off his league campaign with a 1-1 draw against defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium at the weekend.
The Chilli Boys next play league rookies Durban City at the Chatsworth Stadium in Durban on Wednesday, at 7.30pm.
Badela is no stranger to the Chilli Boys’ camp.
In 2021, he was Lehlohonolo Seema’s assistant coach at Chippa for six matches.
“I have been here before, and the chair is someone who has always wanted me to come back,” Badela said.
“I just felt at the time, the time was not right, but this time around, when he made the call, I was a lot more comfortable.
“Before, I don’t think I had learnt enough.
“I was still willing to learn and grow as a coach, and when he explained the project to me, I thought, ‘OK I can use my experience at Sundowns working with the youth players and the first team and also with my time in the NFD working with players that come from the lower leagues’.
“So, I felt this was the right time for me to come to the club.
“Also, when someone is willing to give you a chance, sometimes you also have to be grateful and grab that opportunity and work hard to make sure you repay the faith that he has shown in you.
“The chairman is someone who has shown a lot of trust and belief in me.
“It’s my third time coming here, because I came back a few seasons ago to help coach Seema when the team was in the playoffs.
“So, I am very familiar with the club, and I am looking forward to having a long stay at the club and helping the club to grow every day.”
The Chilli Boys finished the recently concluded season just outside the top eight, with 31 points from 28 matches.
In his attempt to bring stability to the team, not only in the coaching department but in results as well, Badela was calculated in his recruitment of players for the 2025/26 season.
“We looked for players who are hungry, brave and ambitious. Because, myself as a coach, I am very ambitious.
“I would like to see myself coaching one of the top teams one day.
“The type of players we have brought don’t only want to be here, they should be ambitious enough to say, ‘from here we would like to go to bigger teams’.
“The club has given the platform to many players.”
Badela said discipline was also a huge factor in his player selection.
“We looked at players who are disciplined, that are not just coming to Gqeberha to be on holiday.
“They are coming here to help the team and to improve themselves so they can be seen by bigger clubs, and align with the club’s sporting strategy.
“We have recruited younger players, players that will play with energy, that still have the hunger to make it and play for the national team in the future.
“We are not done yet, we are still working hard.
“We haven’t got all the players we want.”
The Herald
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