Mbenyane confirms he is leaving Chippa at the end of the season

Chippa United chairperson Chippa Mpengesi has slammed the attitude of long-serving midfielder Andile Mbenyane, who has confirmed he is leaving the club at the end of the season.

Mbenyane is the only remaining member of the squad that gained promotion the Absa Premiership in 2012.

And the 32-year-old attacking midfielder confirmed he was told on Wednesday that he has been deemed surplus to requirements at the club.

“Yes, I am leaving the team. I was informed on Wednesday. It’s not easy for me to talk about this, because I am not okay right now,” Mbenyane told SowetanLive.

However, Mpengesi said the matter could be resolved but that Mbenyane's attitude would need to improve if he is to remain a part of the Chilli Boys setup.

“Look, I’m sure there are things that the coach (Rulani Mokwena) is not happy with, but I don’t think it is something that cannot be resolved,” Mpengesi told the media in Kempton Park, Johannesburg, where he was attending a Premier Soccer League meeting that resolved to suspend the League indefinitely because of the Coronavirus outbreak.

“But it’s about time also that players like Mbenyane must come to the party… he must pull up hs socks. I mean, he’s been with us for all these years for him to be behaving the way that we are hearing.

“Because what we are hearing is that he’s got days like Mondays and some days that he just does not come to the training you know and he’s a player now that has been with us for many years but he has not yet even reached 130 games."

Mbenyane is something of a Chippa veteran, making just short of 130 appearances, scoring 15 goals and assisting 12 times in his longstanding association with the Port Elizabeth-based club.

“So now, if you count 30 games times 10, at least he’s supposed to have 300 games. He has played less than 130 games, so that shows you that he has not done a lot for the club. In fact, as a club we have done a lot for him,” Mpengesi continued.

“Unfortunately, as much as we love Andile, the truth must be told that his behaviour is disappointing."

Mpengesi said it is up to Mbenyane now to show that he is changing.

“I’m sure him and the coach can sit down, and Andile can solve the problems that he has. We wish to see him retiring here (at Chippa), but unfortunately if his behaviour is not changing there is little we can do.

“If he’s not improving from the issues of (not) coming to training and coming to training drunk and all those things, then there is nothing we can do as a club,” Mpengesi added.

- TEAMtalk media