Magesi captain and goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze has opened up about the departure of the former Dikwena Tsa Meetse coach Clinton Larsen, having helped the Limpopo-based side to gain the promotion from Motsepe Foundation Championship to Betway Premiership. 

The former Bloemfontein Celtic coach also won the Carling Knockout with Dikwena Tsa Meetse. After Magesi’s 3-0 loss in the Carling Black Lebel Cup final against Carling All Stars this month, the Durban-born coach decided to part ways with the club. He has since been replaced by Owen da Gama. 

“It’s been difficult obviously, but at the end of the day as players, we know we’ve got a job to do,” Chipezeze said. 

“The players have been affected mentally because, at the end of the day, we are different. People think differently but as professional footballers, we know that it’s on a phase and it must also take mental strength for you to come out of this. 

“Remember some of these young lads it’s their first time to be in this kind of situation. Some of us senior players, we’ve been in this situation before and we know what it takes for you to come out of this situation. 

 “So, we try to encourage the boys to try to push even harder so that we can come out top in everything we do. Like I said, from now on up until the season ends it’s all about hard work, trying to get positive results week in and week out.” 

 After winning the Carling Knockout final against Mamelodi Sundowns, Magesi has been struggling to win games as they lost all their games, lying at the bottom of the table. 

Chipezeze also added that what he thinks is the main reason for them to lose all their games. “It’s just a phase because in football you’ve got highs and lows. I remember also last season when we won the Motsepe Foundation Championship, when we got to December we struggled in some games and I feel like the history is repeating itself,” the former Baroka goalkeeper added. 

 “After December we started doing well, so it’s just a phase. In football, you go in highs and lows. We just have to make sure that we work even harder so that we can move into that position we are now.” 

 Chipezeze concluded that what they achieved is history and they just focusing on working hard to be out of the hole they are right now. “That part [of coach Clinton Larsen winning Carling Knockout] we can no longer be talking about it now, we just have to talk about what is happening now. 

“We are at the bottom in the log in the Betway Premiership and we need to come out of the hole. We need to work together and try to find solutions so that we can come out of the situation that we are in now. 

“Like I said, it’s going to take hard work because we know it’s going be tough. “It’s going to be a new year starting a game away against TS Galaxy. For me, it’s all about putting in the good work because we can’t say it’s going to be right without putting in the work. So, it’s going to be hard work, hard work until the season ends.” 

Da Gama’s new side will face TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium on 4 January.