News / National
Akbay seeks dignified exit
22 Sep 2017 at 06:40hrs | Views
THE Chibuku Super Cup presents Erol Akbay with a chance to graciously exit Highlanders with his head held high.
And the Bosso want-away coach is looking at grabbing that opportunity with both hands.
After a tumultuous few weeks, punctuated by poor results that turned the coach into a villain in the eyes of the Highlanders faithful, Akbay is keen on leaving the Bulawayo giants with a resemblance of dignity.
With chances of winning the Premiership league title having all but evaporated, the coach concedes that winning the knock-out cup competition will at least earn him a measure of respect among the fans.
Akbay blames the club executive, at times lack of consistency from the players and even sabotage by former assistant Amini Soma Phiri for the teams' woes.
But leaving Highlanders without a major trophy in 2017 will simply earn his a butt of jokes with will associate his name with failure.
Overnight he could be labelled all sizzle and no steak or all hat and no cowboy.
"Every coach wants to win trophies and I'm no exception. I obviously did not come all the way from Netherlands to coach a losing team but things have been difficult at Highlanders in the last few weeks.
"I want to leave Highlanders with a major trophy and the players want to win trophies for the club. The Chibuku Cup gives us the chance to do just that," Akbay told B-Metro Sport.
He won't be renewing his contract at the end of the year.
And the coach's agent Denford Mutashu told this publication last month that Akbay will not be considering offers from local clubs.
Highlanders meet Harare City at Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane on Sunday.
FIXTURES
Saturday 23 September: FC Platinum vs Chapungu (Mandava Stadium), Black Rhinos FC vs Triangle United (Rufaro Stadium), Chicken Inn FC vs Yadah FC (Ascot Stadium)
Sunday 24 September: Dynamos FC vs Bulawayo City (Rufaro Stadium), Ngezi Platinum FC vs Caps United (Baobab Stadium), ZPC Kariba FC vs Shabanie Mine (Nyamhunga Stadium), How Mine FC vs Bantu Rovers (Ascot Stadium), Highlanders FC vs Harare City (Mandava Stadium)
And the Bosso want-away coach is looking at grabbing that opportunity with both hands.
After a tumultuous few weeks, punctuated by poor results that turned the coach into a villain in the eyes of the Highlanders faithful, Akbay is keen on leaving the Bulawayo giants with a resemblance of dignity.
With chances of winning the Premiership league title having all but evaporated, the coach concedes that winning the knock-out cup competition will at least earn him a measure of respect among the fans.
Akbay blames the club executive, at times lack of consistency from the players and even sabotage by former assistant Amini Soma Phiri for the teams' woes.
But leaving Highlanders without a major trophy in 2017 will simply earn his a butt of jokes with will associate his name with failure.
Overnight he could be labelled all sizzle and no steak or all hat and no cowboy.
"I want to leave Highlanders with a major trophy and the players want to win trophies for the club. The Chibuku Cup gives us the chance to do just that," Akbay told B-Metro Sport.
He won't be renewing his contract at the end of the year.
And the coach's agent Denford Mutashu told this publication last month that Akbay will not be considering offers from local clubs.
Highlanders meet Harare City at Mandava Stadium in Zvishavane on Sunday.
FIXTURES
Saturday 23 September: FC Platinum vs Chapungu (Mandava Stadium), Black Rhinos FC vs Triangle United (Rufaro Stadium), Chicken Inn FC vs Yadah FC (Ascot Stadium)
Sunday 24 September: Dynamos FC vs Bulawayo City (Rufaro Stadium), Ngezi Platinum FC vs Caps United (Baobab Stadium), ZPC Kariba FC vs Shabanie Mine (Nyamhunga Stadium), How Mine FC vs Bantu Rovers (Ascot Stadium), Highlanders FC vs Harare City (Mandava Stadium)
Source - bmetro
