Masutha unafraid of Chippa's axe

Interim coach Joel Masutha remains as cool as ice even though the pressure is building with Chippa United sinking deeper and deeper into the relegation zone.

The Port Elizabeth-based professional soccer team take on Soweto giants Orlando Pirates in an Absa Premiership fixture at Orlando Stadium, on Tuesday (7.30pm).

With trigger-happy boss Siviwe “Chippa” Mpengesi looking on, many say the outcome of the match could decide Masutha’s fate at the club as the coach is still without a win after four games at the helm.

However, the former Black Leopards mentor thinks otherwise.

“I don’t take it that way,” Masutha said.

“I have worked in very tough and difficult conditions and here, for now, I feel like I am enjoying myself. The results might not be coming, but the changes that I made to the team are there for everyone to see.

“So, I believe in myself and I don’t think of being fired. Things that are beyond your control . . . you don’t have to worry about them. It's like death, you cant wake up everyday fearing death.

“Eventually it will happen but at the same time you cant worry about it, you must try and plan for the future . . . how can I improve myself and the team. Those are the things that I am worried about and not about the axe.”

Masutha is the fourth coach at the club this season after Eric Tinkler, Dan Malesela and Vladislav Heric, who was sent packing even before taking charge of a game ahead of the campaign’s start.

He is yet to taste victory, after playing to two draws and as many defeats with the latest result being a 1-0 loss to Bloemfontein Celtic on Friday. Despite the change in coaching staff, the Chilli Boys are still without a win after nine league fixtures, with their last recorded victory dating back to October last year.

Chippa are lying second from the bottom of the log with only 12 points from 16 matches and of those games, the team has only managed to score two victories.

The coach believes if his troops play with hearts and that that could be just what the team needs to beat Pirates.

“It's not about the tactics or how fancy you are. It's about fighting the battle and we have to battle throughout that’s the only way we’ll win.

“This is a very big match, we need to win. If we cant win then we must not lose. We can’t go on and lose three games in a row and still say we are playing well.  Results have to show also.

“Against Pirates we will go there and play for a result and I hope and believe things will be in our favor this time around.”