Larsen points to big improvement at Chippa United since his arrival

Chippa United coach Clinton Larsen has said that the team has improved significantly since he arrived in Port Elizabeth in January to replace to replace Joel Masutha.

Chippa approach the last three matches of their campaign sitting dangerously second-from-bottom with 24 points and Larsen believes that he will save the club from the ignominy of relegation or the dreaded playoffs.

Larsen’s mission of saving the ‘Chilli Boys’ continues on Friday night with a tricky home clash against Cape Town City at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium‚ where defeat will plunge them deeper into the relegation quagmire.

“Just to let you know‚ after 17 games when I took over four coaches had accumulated 12 points‚ and I have the same 12 points in nine games.

“It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to tell you that there was a significant improvement in terms of results‚” Larsen said after his team’s 3-2 loss against Mamelodi Sundowns in Pretoria on Tuesday‚ adding that there is always pressure in the PSL.

“Pressure has been there from day one because we are in danger on the log‚ but it is the same for four to five other teams down there at the bottom.

“We are used to dealing with that kind of pressure as coaches – that is why I get surprised when people start talking about pressure. It is part and parcel of our job as coaches to remain calm when everybody around us are losing their heads under pressure.”

On Chippa’s loss to Sundowns‚ Larsen said he did not have enough players on the bench as suspensions affected his thin squad.

“That has been my team since I took over in January – a lot of people don’t know that we have 19 infield players and three of them were suspended for this match against Sundowns‚ which left us with 16.

“It is never easy when you compete with a quality side like Sundowns‚ but the fighting spirit in the squad is second to none. The players keep fighting to the end and they never threw in the towel and we could have got a point at the end.”

Larsen lamented the performance of the referees.

“What was very disappointing was to hear match officials say there were three hand-balls in the box but none of them warranted a penalty. That was disappointing and we saw that there was one that was clear in my opinion‚ but I suppose you get them and sometimes you don’t.

“The less said about those decisions the better‚ but sometimes you get them and sometimes you don’t get them. It is hard for teams at the bottom of the log who are fighting for their lives and you don’t get those decisions.

“In the situation that we are in‚ we want to get those decisions but we will keep fighting like this. But‚ I am one who could live with them because I know on another day I will get one that I don’t deserve.”

Cape Town City moved from fifth to fourth place on 44 points on Friday morning from the outcome of a disciplinary matter from their game abandoned against Bloemfontein Celtic this month‚ with the Citizens awarded three points.