Marked for Anothando Menemene
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Match5 Jan 2030
Beaten 0‑4 by SuperSport United, and beaten everywhere it matters. The inquest starts on the training pitch on Monday morning.
Squad7 Jan 2030
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Chippa United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad7 Jan 2030
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Squad7 Jan 2030
7 goals and a season average of 7.42. Form like that gets noticed well beyond this town.
Boardroom7 Jan 2030
Nobody left the Chippa United dressing room in a hurry
The door stayed shut a long time after the final whistle. What was said in there is between them; whether it worked is between them and Saturday.
Squad7 Jan 2030
Beaten 4 times, with 1 saves for company. Goalkeepers carry these scorelines on their record whoever actually caused them, which is the quiet injustice of the job.
Player ratings7 Jan 2030
Successful dribbles: 12. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Player ratings7 Jan 2030
Shots: 6. Goals: none. The chances were there and they were good ones, and they went into the stand, the goalkeeper's arms and the side netting in roughly that order.
Market7 Jan 2030
It has been denied twice and printed three times, which is the usual arithmetic. Until Siphelo Baloni signs something — a contract at Chippa United or anywhere else — this column belongs to him.
Back issues
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Match22 Dec 2029
1‑4 against Golden Arrows, and no complaints that would survive the replay. The manager spoke about character afterwards; the terraces used shorter words.
Squad24 Dec 2029
There were 9 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Squad24 Dec 2029
15 goals and a season average of 7.66. Form like that gets noticed well beyond this town.
Squad24 Dec 2029
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Chippa United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Player ratings24 Dec 2029
Successful dribbles: 20. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Player ratings24 Dec 2029
A performance of 9.09 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Match1 Dec 2029
A 0‑3 beating by Ajax Cape Town was the sort of result that empties a stadium long before the final whistle.
Player ratings3 Dec 2029
Successful dribbles: 28. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Squad3 Dec 2029
Azola Matrose was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad3 Dec 2029
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Boardroom3 Dec 2029
The music was off and the showers ran late. What was said in that dressing room stays there, but Saturday will publish the minutes.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Market19 Nov 2029
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Chippa United is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
Squad19 Nov 2029
Azola Matrose was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Player ratings19 Nov 2029
Marked 8.85 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
Squad19 Nov 2029
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Justice Figuareido, and the manager let it.
Squad19 Nov 2029
Defences have started doubling up on Oarabile Booysen
6 goals and a season average of 7.39 will do that. The space he used to find has gone; he keeps scoring anyway, which is the mark of the real thing.
Player ratings19 Nov 2029
Successful dribbles: 17. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Squad19 Nov 2029
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Anothando Menemene knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
Market19 Nov 2029
It has been denied twice and printed three times, which is the usual arithmetic. Until Abbubaker Mobara signs something — a contract at Chippa United or anywhere else — this column belongs to him.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Player ratings5 Nov 2029
Successful dribbles: 28. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Squad5 Nov 2029
There were 6 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Squad5 Nov 2029
“I remember the meeting. I remember exactly what was promised in it.” Chippa United may remember it differently, which is precisely the problem.
Squad5 Nov 2029
Azola Matrose was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Match3 Nov 2029
Beaten 0‑2, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.
Squad5 Nov 2029
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Player ratings8 Oct 2029
Successful dribbles: 24. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Match6 Oct 2029
4 matches without a win for Chippa United
The run now stands at 4, and the questions being asked around Chippa United are no longer polite ones.
Squad8 Oct 2029
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Siphelo Baloni and Chippa United agree another 4 years.
Squad8 Oct 2029
Azola Matrose was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Match6 Oct 2029
0‑2 to Polokwane City, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.
Squad8 Oct 2029
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Squad8 Oct 2029
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Anothando Menemene knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
Player ratings8 Oct 2029
Shots: 15, not one of them in. A centre forward is paid for one thing, and on this evidence he has forgotten which thing it is.
Player ratings8 Oct 2029
Shots: 5. Goals: none. The chances were there and they were good ones, and they went into the stand, the goalkeeper's arms and the side netting in roughly that order.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Squad17 Sep 2029
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Chippa United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Player ratings17 Sep 2029
Marked 9.02 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
Player ratings17 Sep 2029
There is a version of this player everybody suspected was in there, and on this evidence it is. 8.91, and no argument anywhere in the ground.
Squad17 Sep 2029
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Dumisani Msibi, and the manager let it.
Player ratings17 Sep 2029
Successful dribbles: 15. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Squad17 Sep 2029
Whether it was the goalkeeper or the ten in front of him is the argument that will fill every conversation in town this week. 2 saves does not settle it either way.
Squad17 Sep 2029
“It had gone on long enough. I would rather have it out than leave it sitting there.” Ten minutes behind a closed door at Chippa United, and both men came out saying it was fine.
Market17 Sep 2029
It has been denied twice and printed three times, which is the usual arithmetic. Until Siphelo Baloni signs something — a contract at Chippa United or anywhere else — this column belongs to him.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Market3 Sep 2029
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Chippa United is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
Squad3 Sep 2029
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Asanele Bonani and Chippa United agree another 4 years.
Squad3 Sep 2029
Siphelo Baloni was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Match1 Sep 2029
Free State Stars left with the points after a 1‑3 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.
Player ratings3 Sep 2029
Successful dribbles: 20. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Player ratings3 Sep 2029
There is a version of this player everybody suspected was in there, and on this evidence it is. 8.77, and no argument anywhere in the ground.
Squad3 Sep 2029
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
Squad3 Sep 2029
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Anothando Menemene knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
Player ratings3 Sep 2029
Shots: 11. Goals: none. The chances were there and they were good ones, and they went into the stand, the goalkeeper's arms and the side netting in roughly that order.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad27 Aug 2029
There were 6 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Squad27 Aug 2029
“I remember the meeting. I remember exactly what was promised in it.” Chippa United may remember it differently, which is precisely the problem.
Market27 Aug 2029
Fee agreed, terms agreed, medical booked. Keabetswe Kungwane will be somebody else’s player by the weekend, and around Chippa United the goodbyes have quietly begun.
Squad27 Aug 2029
Azola Matrose was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Player ratings27 Aug 2029
There is a version of this player everybody suspected was in there, and on this evidence it is. 9.32, and no argument anywhere in the ground.
Player ratings27 Aug 2029
Marked 9.31 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
Player ratings27 Aug 2029
There is a version of this player everybody suspected was in there, and on this evidence it is. 9.17, and no argument anywhere in the ground.
Squad27 Aug 2029
“Nobody here is above being told.” It was not said with a name attached, but the dressing room can count, and so can everybody who was listening.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Squad20 Aug 2029
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Chippa United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Match18 Aug 2029
2‑3 to Ajax Cape Town, and no complaints worth printing. The performance asked for nothing more than it got.
Squad20 Aug 2029
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Malebogo Modise, and the manager let it.
Player ratings20 Aug 2029
A performance of 8.64 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Squad20 Aug 2029
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Anothando Menemene knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
Squad20 Aug 2029
The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Squad13 Aug 2029
There were 6 saves in it, and at least three that had no business being saves at all. The ten outfield players owe him a drink and they know it.
Squad13 Aug 2029
Azola Matrose was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Match11 Aug 2029
Beaten 1‑2, and beaten fairly. The manager kept his words short afterwards, which was probably wise.
Squad13 Aug 2029
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Justice Figuareido, and the manager let it.
Player ratings13 Aug 2029
Successful dribbles: 17. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Market13 Aug 2029
Both sides expect a conversation in the coming days. Chippa United will name a price, and everything after that is arithmetic.
Market13 Aug 2029
“They were honest with me, and I would rather know.” Thabiso Mokoena has been informed he is not in the manager's thinking at Chippa United.
Market13 Aug 2029
The name of Dumisani Msibi keeps appearing in other people's back pages. Chippa United say nothing, which says plenty.
Squad13 Aug 2029
The first one is the one every signing is asked about until it arrives. It has arrived, and he can stop being asked.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Boardroom7 May 2029
Luther Dolly has until the next board meeting
What was said behind closed doors has now been said in front of a microphone. Everybody at Chippa United can do the arithmetic, including the man it is aimed at.
Squad7 May 2029
“The easiest signature of my career.” Siphosakhe Ntiya-Ntiya and Chippa United agree another 2 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Squad7 May 2029
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Chippa United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Boardroom7 May 2029
Chippa United pull $2.1M back off the table
The money that was there in the summer is not there now. Nobody upstairs calls this a change of ambition, and everybody downstairs reads it as one.
Market7 May 2029
Every press conference now starts and ends the same way: with Abbubaker Mobara’s future. The manager has run out of new ways to say nothing.
Squad7 May 2029
“I will know when it is time. I am not there yet.” Thabiso Mokoena is 36, with 29 appearances behind him, and Chippa United will have to plan for whichever answer comes.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Boardroom30 Apr 2029
The silence upstairs is getting loud at Chippa United
Nobody on the board has said anything against the manager, which is the point — they have stopped saying anything for him either.
Squad30 Apr 2029
Azola Matrose was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad30 Apr 2029
The manager makes an example of Katlego Mohamme
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad26 Mar 2029
“I remember the meeting. I remember exactly what was promised in it.” Chippa United may remember it differently, which is precisely the problem.
Squad26 Mar 2029
He is 21, he is averaging 7.33, and older professionals have started passing to him in the difficult minutes. That last part is the real scouting report.
Market26 Mar 2029
The clubs have agreed terms, and what remains is formality: a medical, a photograph, a signature. Nobody at Chippa United is pretending he will be back in the shirt.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Squad19 Mar 2029
Azola Matrose was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Squad19 Mar 2029
“The easiest signature of my career.” Izibegege Opuene and Chippa United agree another 4 years, and the manager can plan around him rather than about him.
Squad19 Mar 2029
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Mohamed El Sayed, and the manager let it.
From our football correspondent
Crisis
Player ratings26 Feb 2029
Successful dribbles: 25. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Squad26 Feb 2029
At 21, Oarabile Booysen is already the best thing here
An average of 7.33 in a first team he is several years too young for. Chippa United have something, and by now the whole division has noticed.
Market26 Feb 2029
Terms are settled between the clubs and the rest is paperwork and a photograph. Around Chippa United they have already started talking about him in the past tense.
Squad26 Feb 2029
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Chippa United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Match24 Feb 2029
Orlando Pirates left with the points after a 0‑1 defeat that will take some explaining on the terraces.
Squad26 Feb 2029
The manager makes an example of Ayanda Ngcobo
“If you cannot run for the shirt, somebody else will wear it.” No name was used and none was needed; every player in that room knew who it was for.
Squad26 Feb 2029
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Anothando Menemene knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
Market26 Feb 2029
Another week, another link, another denial nobody quite believes. Chippa United know the market decides these things, not the back pages — but the back pages are louder.
Player ratings26 Feb 2029
5.68 on the card. Some afternoons a footballer looks like a man who has only just been introduced to the game, and this was one of them.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Player ratings12 Feb 2029
Headers, blocks, tackles, interceptions — 30 of them, and not one goal behind him. The sort of performance that never makes a highlight reel and wins football matches.
Squad12 Feb 2029
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 6 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
Player ratings12 Feb 2029
Successful dribbles: 25. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
Squad12 Feb 2029
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Chippa United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad12 Feb 2029
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Ahmed Khatir and Chippa United agree another 3 years.
Squad12 Feb 2029
“I pick players who do the work. All of it.” No name was spoken; every camera still turned to Ridwaan Cerfonteyn, and the manager let it.
Player ratings12 Feb 2029
Defensive actions: 17. He was first to everything and second to nothing, and the goalkeeper had an easy day because of it.
Match10 Feb 2029
Ninety minutes, two goalkeepers with clean gloves, and not one finish worth keeping. Bloemfontein Celtic will be the happier side with the point.
Player ratings12 Feb 2029
Shots: 5, not one of them in. A centre forward is paid for one thing, and on this evidence he has forgotten which thing it is.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Squad20 Nov 2028
Some afternoons a goalkeeper is the team. 8 saves, several of them the sort nobody expects to see stopped, and a scoreline that flatters everybody in front of him.
Squad20 Nov 2028
Kwanele Nkabi: that is not what I was promised
“Things were said to me before I signed. I am not going to repeat them, but I remember all of them.” Chippa United have not answered, which is an answer of sorts.
Player ratings20 Nov 2028
Headers, blocks, tackles, interceptions — 24 of them, and not one goal behind him. The sort of performance that never makes a highlight reel and wins football matches.
Player ratings20 Nov 2028
Successful dribbles: 23. Every time he got the ball somebody had to make a decision, and every time the decision was wrong.
Squad20 Nov 2028
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Chippa United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad20 Nov 2028
7 goals and a season average of 7.24. Form like that gets noticed well beyond this town.
From our football correspondent
Steady
Match6 Sep 2028
Ajax Cape Town ended it 1‑2. The season narrows to the league now, and everyone in the ground knew it before the final whistle.
Squad11 Sep 2028
Azola Matrose was at the centre of it, and by the time it was pulled apart there were three or four others involved. Training grounds are small places and long seasons make them smaller.
Player ratings11 Sep 2028
There is a version of this player everybody suspected was in there, and on this evidence it is. 9.30, and no argument anywhere in the ground.
Player ratings11 Sep 2028
Marked 8.24 — the sort of number a correspondent writes down twice to be sure. Everything he tried came off, and what he did not try was not worth trying.
Player ratings11 Sep 2028
A performance of 8.16 does not come along often, and when it does the rest of the team becomes scenery. He was magnificent.
Squad11 Sep 2028
46 days, the medical staff say, and medical staff are optimists by profession. The team sheet will look wrong without him.
Squad11 Sep 2028
An error at the back is a moment; an error in goal is a goal. Anothando Menemene knows it, the crowd knew it instantly, and there was nobody behind him to make it anything else.
Player ratings11 Sep 2028
Successful dribbles: 15. There is a particular sort of despair on a full-back's face by the seventieth minute, and it was on display.
From our football correspondent
Uneasy
Market3 Apr 2028
“I have given everything here and I need a new challenge.” The request is formal, and the relationship will never be quite the same again.
Squad3 Apr 2028
It was not about football and everybody who saw it knows that. Two men who have to play together on Saturday said things at Chippa United this week that will take longer than a week to unsay.
Squad3 Apr 2028
“Some decisions take a long time. This one took ten minutes, and most of that was finding a pen.” Anothando Menemene and Chippa United agree another 4 years.