Chronicle Editor
Ricky Zililo, Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS’ coach Erol Akbay told the club executive not to doubt his commitment to the club after announcing his decision to leave Bosso to the media before informing his employers.
The Bulawayo giants’ leadership engaged the Dutchman yesterday in a meeting chief executive officer Nhlanhla Dube described as “fruitful”.
“His (Akbay) view is that he needed to inform the club that he intends not to renew his contract in advance, something that he says is done in Europe. At the end of the meeting, he understood that things are done differently in this culture. There is a certain way of communicating here. The coach reiterated his commitment to Highlanders and said there was no way he is going to compromise his professional conduct,” said Dube.
Akbay’s contract expires at the end of this season.
Addressing journalists at the club’s weekly press conference last Thursday, Akbay claimed that he had informed the Bosso executive that he would be leaving, a statement that seemed to shock Dube who was in attendance.
Akbay led Bosso to a third place finish in the first of his two-year contract in 2016 with 17 wins, five draws and eight losses.
The Dutchman now faces a mammoth task of getting Highlanders back into contention for the league title after his side put up a lifeless performance against Harare City at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.
With 15 league games left, Highlanders are in sixth position with 32 points from 19 outings and trail log leaders Ngezi Platinum Stars by eight points.
Akbay still believes they are in the title race and has called on his players to lift their game ahead of Thursday’s clash with ZPC Kariba in the resort town.
“As a coach I want to win everything on offer. We want to win everything now and I hope we do that,” Akbay said.
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