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Chippa United coach Morgan Mammila came out swinging at the Carling Knockout launch this week, arguing the football fraternity might only “respect” him when he wins a domestic trophy.
The Chilli Boys have been drawn to face Stellenbosch FC in the competition’s opening round of 16 later this month and Mammila – still fairly new on the coaching scene – has set his sights on the title.
But, he says this is purely because his credentials are still being questioned unlike some of his counterparts like Benni McCarthy.
"It will be nice to be the first coach to lift it [Carling Cup] so that... I know you guys respect a person when he wins something, so I want to be like Benni," said Mammila.
"Benni came here, new, not coaching anything, and he lifted [the MTN8 with Cape Town City] – it was proven that you don't need to coach for 10 years to win something.
Mammila, an astute administrator at Baroka FC and later Chippa, was elevated to the dugout by the Gqeberha side’s owner Siviwe Mpengesi last season, when he got off to an ideal star before being sacked.
He was brought back for the 2023/24 campaign, and has so far guided the side to seventh place after nine matches in the DStv Premiership, which Mammila maintains is evidence he is a quality coach.
"How many people have been playing and they can't coach? So many. Rulani [Mokwena] here, he never played football, but he had been an assistant for so many years [with] so many different people. He has acquired that knowledge.
"Some people, we don't have to go through that and learn from 100 000 coaches, no. You learn from one person and then you are the best, so sometimes, they always say, 'There are people born rich and technically experienced – I'm one of them."
