adminSikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
INTERIM Highlanders’ technical advisor Cosmas “Tsano” Zulu yesterday refused to field questions at the club’s weekly Press conference arguing that this would reveal the team’s strategy to their opponents. Highlanders take on red-hot FC Platinum in the quarter-finals of the Easycall Cup at Mandava Stadium on Sunday.
Tsano, who had earlier on told journalists that they had prepared well for the match by increasing their training sessions from two to three hours per day, went ballistic when asked if his camp was nursing any injuries.
“Why should I tell you that? I will not reveal my strategy to (FC Platinum coach Norman) Mapeza. In football, injuries are always there, it’s only that you journalists watch a lot of golf and you might not understand,” said Zulu in his rumbling response that even perplexed Highlanders’ treasurer Donald Ndebele.
However, the journalists would have none of it and demanded to know if any players were carrying injuries.
“Don’t come here to tell me which questions I should answer. I’m not going to tell you who is injured and who is not. I’m not stupid, I can’t reveal my strategy,” said an emotional Zulu.
He then stormed out of the Press conference room.
Zulu might have been incensed by Highlanders’ chief executive officer Ndumiso Gumede’s earlier remarks that Zulu and interim head coach Amini Soma-Phiri were definitely not going to be upgraded to substantive coaches even if they do well.
“They (Zulu and Soma-Phiri) are not in a league of persons we have decided to hire,” Gumede had said earlier in a response to whether the club might consider hiring the duo on a full time basis.
Zulu’s actions might bring the club into a collision course with the Premier Soccer League, who could take this as failure to conduct a pre-match interview contrary to Standing Order number 12 of the PSL’s Standing Orders.
The offence attracts a fine of $125 for the offending head coach or captain, while the club is fined $500.
Meanwhile, Gumede said Dutchman Erol Akbay, who took charge of an Under-19 training session and watched Bosso labouring to a 1-0 win over Buffaloes, was in the country for some interviews and no agreement has been agreed as yet.
“Akbay has not been appointed. He was just in the country for interviews and nothing has been agreed,” said Gumede.
He said while they had given a timeline for appointing a coach, they cannot be rushed into making a decision now.
“We were meant to have finalised this issue today as we wanted our new man to watch our remaining games, but we can’t then be bound by a decision we made four weeks ago. What do we lose by waiting until we get our man?” asked Gumede.
Online Reporter