NEW Chippa United head coach Joel Masutha is optimistic that he will start his new job on a positive note.
Chippa host Cape Town City FC in an Absa Premiership encounter at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth tonight (7:30pm).
This will be Masutha’s first game in charge of the Chilli Boys since parting ways with Black Leopards. He replaces Eric Tinkler at Chippa.
“Everything went well with our preparations for this game,” said Masutha.
“The good thing is that we understand each other. We are one big family, we all want to see Chippa succeed. All the talk is over now, tonight we have to start delivering.
“Cape Town City are a good side with a good coach in Benni McCarthy, but I am positive that we can pull it off and move away from the position we’re in.”
He said the attitude and fighting spirit of his players at training had given him hope that they could go into the Christmas break far away from the relegation zone.
The Chilli Boys are languishing at second from bottom in the standings with 10 points from 12 Premiership matches.
They are one point ahead of bottom side Black Leopards.
Leopards face Maritzburg United in the other league clash tomorrow.
Said Masutha: “We spoke about our log position and agreed that we have to move up as soon as possible.”
But causing an upset against the team of Bafana Bafana’s top goal-scorer tonight will not be easy.
The last time Masutha faced City he lost 3-1 in a league clash while still at Leopards.
City come into this clash on the back of a 2-0 loss to Highlands Park in their last league clash and will be firing on all cylinders.
A win for City will boost their chances of ending this year in the top eight, while defeat for Chippa and a win for Leopards against United would see the Chilli Boys drop to the bottom.
