In a bid to beat the drop, Chippa United have decided to appoint Serbian Vladislav Heric as the club’s technical advisor.
After leading the Chilli Boys to the top-flight in the 2013/14 season, Heric returns to the club with the aim to save them from relegation having left second-tier side Cape Town Spurs earlier this term.
As announced by the Club, he will work with interim coach Siyabulela Gwambi, who has been in charge since the exit of Dan Maselela, but the addition came after they slumped to a 1-0 DStv Premiership loss to Baroka FC on Tuesday which has left the club in the relegation waters.
“Vladislav is a person that is familiar with the success of our brand, having helped us win the GladAfrica Championship in the 2013/14 season,” Chippa chairman Siviwe Mpengesi said. “We do welcome him back to the club, where his experience will play a pivotal role for our technical team in the last eight DStv Premiership fixtures. We are looking at finishing in a respectable position in this campaign.”
This appointment comes just less than a week after Gwambi led them to the Nedbank Cup final where they will face fellow DStv Premiership side TTM at the Free State Stadium on May 8.
They will welcome Lamontville Golden Arrows to the Nelson Mandela Bay in their next league outing on Sunday. In the league, Chippa have been woeful this term and are up there as one of the worst sides this term, alongside bottom-placed Black Leopards. As it stands, it would take something phenomenal for both sides to avoid the drop. A poor showing in defence has been the regular theme for Chippa, with their 34 goals conceded leaving them with the second-worst defensive record in the league. A lowly three wins all season is also the lowest of any side, an unwanted statistic they share with Black Leopards.
Chippa can still mathematically avoid the drop but they will need positive results and fast. In a time where desperate measures are needed, the appointment of Vladislav Heric could be just what the club needs for a change in fortunes.