Mixed messages over Luc Eymael’s Chippa exit

Speaking on Metro FM’s Sports Night Amplified on Thursday, Mali told host Andile Ncube that Eymael had expressed doubts about his ability to turn around the club’s fortunes with the current squad.

According to Mali, those remarks caught the management off guard, especially after the Belgian tactician had earlier expressed strong confidence in the players when campaigning for the job.

Eymael, however, disputes that version.

"It is a big lie, I'm sorry to say. I asked the chairman for another 2-3 games to fix things, because I know the situation the club is in.

"I never sat down in a meeting with the sporting director before, like he suggests. He must be responsible for what he said."

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The former Free State Stars and Polokwane City mentor said that he, together with the return of striker Eva Nga alongside Justice Figueredo, the club would be able to lift themselves from the bottom of the Betway Premiership table.

Meanwhile, sporting director Mali, who already clashed with Chippa’s first coach of the season in Sinethemba Badela, insists that Eymael made promises he could not keep.

"The club is in a transition phase. It is moving towards a more strategic approach in its processes. As the sporting director, I am responsible for driving this strategic shift. 

"I can assure you, the first meeting I had with the coach, he gave us the confidence in his knowledge of the players, the club, and the league."

Finally, Mali also cleared the air on the Badela exit.

"It's fair to say there was a misalignment in the vision and also the recruitment strategy. This club has a contractual obligation to ensure that homegrown players are given an opportunity at the club, and the club simply had a different vision and direction it wanted to take, compared to what Badela wanted."