Chippa coach wants his players back early to prevent them from piling on the off-season pounds

06 June 2016 - 18:53 By Mark Gleeson

Chippa United are returning from their off-season holidays sooner than most other Premier Soccer League clubs because coach Dan Malesela does not trust players to keep themselves in good condition. Malesela wants players to report back on June 28‚ which is the same return date as Kaizer Chiefs and Bloemfontein Celtic ‚but much earlier than the rest of the Premier Soccer League outfits. The rest of the sides will only return to work from their holidays in early July now that the season starts later than is traditional in August. “If the holidays are too long there is the danger that players put on weight because they are not undergoing intensive training. The longer they are away the more they will gain weight. (Getting) it down is not easy and that is my worry‚” he said.“I’m also not confident that players follow the programmes that are given to them for training at home during the off-season‚” added Malesela‚ the former Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates captain.Chippa‚ who finished sixth‚ will conduct part of their preparations in Howick‚ KwaZulu-Natal‚ and also in East London‚ which they used as an alternate home ground this past season...

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