Akbay future in doubt

Sports Reporter
THE future of Dutchman Erol Akbay at Highlanders is now in doubt after the club leadership rejected his proposal to reinstate Cosmas “Tsano’’ Zulu into the first team’s coaching department.

The decision by the club’s bosses is a slap in the face of the Dutchman, who wanted Zulu, who was relegated to the junior sides, brought back into the first team. Instead, the club’s leaders have promoted Melusi Sibanda to assist Akbay.

The message from the club’s leaders is that they will not be led by what their head coach wants, but what they believe is what is best for the club.

Assistant coach Amini Soma-Phiri quit his post on Monday, after it emerged Akbay had written a letter to the Bosso leaders accusing him of sabotaging the team. In that letter, the Dutchman also wanted Zulu, who was demoted to the juniors as a disciplinary measure, to be brought back into the first team.

However, the club’s leaders snubbed Akbay and, instead, promoted Sibanda. The Dutchman told ZBC yesterday that he didn’t believe Sibanda had the right coaching credentials to assist him.

However, club chief executive appeared to hit back at Akbay’s suggestions that the team had suffered from the sale of some key strikers.

“We have seven strikers that are available and we can’t be hiding behind the finger,’’ Dube told reporters in what was an apparent attack on Akbay.