Chippa United coach Kwanele Kopo has spoken about his relationship with club boss Siviwe 'Chippa' Mpengesi at the Eastern Cape club.
In July, as the Chilli Boys tweaked the technical team, Kopo was handed the reigns to lead the team solo as the head coach, with Thabo September assisting him after the two worked as co-coaches last season.
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Kopo says he is aware of the perception that coaches don't always last at the Gqeberha-based outfit but is grateful for the support from the chairman.
"Well, I think, for us there's no soft journey in taking the responsibility of an entity worth as much as Chippa United is worth, and any other entity for that matter in the PSL. So, the job comes with pressure. The chairman, like any other person, is human. He reacts to situations, and he will do what he deems necessary to protect his investment," said Kopo, speaking exclusively to the Siya crew.
"But the chairman has been very supportive to us since our arrival at the club. The chairman has really helped us a lot, myself and coach Thabo September to adapt to the club and the PSL. He has many times tried to relieve any fears that we might have pertaining to that perception – the perception that he is not patient man. About two weeks ago, we were talking about it and the chairman was like, 'You know, you guys are about to finish a year in the club since you joined in January.' That's something we really had to pay attention to. We joined the club in January and now we are in the ninth month, so it's a great milestone," he said.
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"But I think Chippa United and the direction that the chairman has given to us is that he wants to create and build stability in the club. He wants to create continuity in the club. He would really like to create continuity, and I think hence that statement that talks about the change in direction. The change in direction is that thoe chairman wants to change this perception about his club and himself. He does want to create continuity in the club, and he does want to have coaches that stay longer in the club. What coach Morgan (Mammila) helped us with was to make us understand what the chairman came from. Sometimes as coaches you come and want things your way, and club chairmen say I'm putting so much money in the club, so you need to find a balance. Coach Morgan helped us to try and find that balance and in terms of our communication with the chairman. The chairman has been hands-on with us and supportive but there's no mystery in that if the results don't come, like in any other club, we are at risk of losing our jobs for someone that will come and do better. But we don't work with that fear. We work with the vision, and we work with progression. We say in every environment you learn, whether it's good or bad, whether you succeed or you fail, but the most important thing are the lessons that you take from that environment and how you progress with them," the coach concluded.
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