Former Tottenham star Pascal Chimbonda has found himself in hot water after his team, Skelmersdale United, suffered a devastating 10-1 loss in the Northwest Counties Premier League. Chimbonda, who took over the ninth-tier club in October, has issued a public apology for the team’s poor performance.
Known for his time as a defender in the Premier League, Chimbonda played 65 league games for Spurs and has cited top managers such as Pep Guardiola, Jose Mourinho, Diego Simeone, and Zinedine Zidane as his inspirations. However, his managerial career has been far from smooth sailing.
In October, Chimbonda received a five-match ban for improper conduct during Skelmersdale’s match against Barnoldswick Town. Undeterred by the ban, he registered himself as a player in the squad, allowing him to be present for some of the team’s games and serve a reduced three-game ban instead.
This move also marked Chimbonda’s return from retirement at the age of 44. Despite retiring from football in 2019, he clearly couldn’t resist the allure of the game. His last club before retirement was Ashton Town in the Greater Manchester area.
Unfortunately, Chimbonda’s rollercoaster ride as Skelmersdale coach shows no signs of slowing down. The team’s recent crushing defeat at the hands of Bury FC has put them in danger of successive relegations. As a result, Chimbonda took to social media to apologize to the fans and promise better performances in the future.
Chimbonda’s tenure as Skelmersdale coach has not been without controversy. He made headlines earlier when he delivered a passionate half-time team talk that contained an astonishing 72 swear words. Clearly demanding more from his players, Chimbonda’s fiery speech garnered attention but did little to change the team’s fortunes on the pitch.
Despite the setbacks, Chimbonda remains determined to lead Skelmersdale to success. The team will face Charnock Richard next, and Chimbonda hopes for a better outcome. With his love for the game and his experience in top-level football, Chimbonda has the potential to turn things around for Skelmersdale United. Only time will tell if he can bring the team back to its former glory.