‘My boss is different’: Mammila blames media for Chippa’s turnover of coaches

Morgan Mammila has again vowed to keep his job at Chippa United after starting the season with a sound 0-0 DStv Premiership draw away to Kaizer Chiefs at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Sunday.

Mammila, one of four coaches fired by Chippa boss Siviwe Mpengesi when they battled relegation last season, said the performance his side gave against Chiefs showed they can compete against any club.

“One thing that's for sure, guys: my boss [Mpengesi] is a different one,” said Mammila. “He believes in you, the media. If you write on Twitter that Morgan should have won this game and all the stuff, he takes that seriously.

 “He's a different chairman. He's not like the other chairmen.

“You guys can phone Mr Mpengesi and you're the ones making our lives [at Chippa] difficult. But one thing for sure with me is I know what I want. As I said, I'm not standing for myself. I'm standing for a black rural child out there who doesn't think this opportunity is for them.

“So I'm showing them that this opportunity [of coaching at the highest level] is for everyone. Even a rural black boy can come and do it. I'm giving them hope.

“So in future check what you write. If you say the coach must be fired, he's [Mpengesi] going to read that message. He's not like other chairmen.” 

Former administrator Mammila, a former CEO and general manager at Chippa who is still undergoing training as a professional coach, said he was impressed with how his team handled Chiefs. He went as far as claiming Amakhosi never had a shot on target, though the stats showed they had three.

“I told my players that Chiefs are not better than us when it comes to players. We had to show Kaizer Chiefs' players they were playing for a big team, but they're not bigger than us. 

“Kaizer Chiefs never had one shot on target. Why? It's because they were playing a good team, an organised team. We created so many chances. We should have buried them. But I will take a point away from home. 

“Tactically we were very good. It's just that it was at the beginning of the season and you'll see those small mistakes. It happens to any team. But overall I'm happy with the point.”

Chippa host TS Galaxy at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha on Wednesday.