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Bruce Ndlovu
It was perhaps ironic that when Highlanders FC broke its jinx against Dynamos a fortnight ago, it was with Erol Akbay at the helm, an individual who perhaps is not fully aware of the tumultuous and emotion filled history of clashes between the two sides.
The Dutchman was the architect of the fall of dynamosa�� decade long stranglehold on Bosso, a spell that had seen the Bosso faithful lose confidence in some of his predecessors.
In derbies between sides that are known to share a mutual dislike and fierce rivalry, it is not unheard of for the tie to decide the fate of a coach regardless of how well placed his charges are on the log.
With this in mind it is perhaps no wonder how, overnight, Akbay has become the darling of followers of the black and white shirted boys.
The Dutchman is however,A� not the first foreigner to put a smile on the faces of Bosso supporters as he follows a long lineage of foreign nationals that have at some point been at the helm of the countrya��s oldest side.
While rivals Dynamos have struggled with coaches that are alien to the culture and structures that make DeMbare tick, with this perhaps best exemplified by the recent axing of Portuguese gaffer Paulo Jorge Silva, Highlanders have found a bit more joy with their imported tacticians.
a�?If you look at Highlanders, foreign coaches have done better, but I think it will one day work for DeMbare as well. I understand these two [latest] coaches have done duty at highest levels and have contacts which will make it easier for our players to move to other leagues. From that angle, I think ita��s the best that they have done,a�? veteran broadcaster Charles Mabika said after the two teams named their gaffers.
Bossoa��s dalliances with foreigners stretch back to the pre independence era which saw Northern Irishman Tony McIlveen join the side with limited success.
The 1980s saw the arrival of former Scottish goalkeeper Bobby Clark who is credited with kick starting the cluba��s exemplary junior policy which has seen Bosso stay at or near the top despite periodic player exodus or limited spending muscle on the transfer market down the years.
During his time at Highlanders, Clark coached the likes of Morgan Phiri, Nkomo, Mloyi, Tymon Mabaleka, Bigboy Ndlovu, Madinda Ndlovu and Willard Khumalo, most of whom went on to become vital cogs in the national team.
Perhaps living up to the Ndebele proverb that a�?Induku enhle iganyulwa ezizwenia�?, Bosso struck gold at the turn of the century Bosso when they hired Briton Eddie May. The silver haired gaffer came at the height of one of Bossoa��s most memorable league runs, and guided Bosso to two league titles, thus making him statistically the second most successful coach in the local league behind former Dynamos and current national team coach Kalisto Pasuwa.
May was followed by Zambians Dick Chama and Freddie Mwila, who also also had limited success at Bosso before Egyptian Mohammed Fathy also tried his luck.
Perhaps the foreign coach whose memory is still vivid in the minds of the Bosso faithful in recent times is Zambian Kevin Kaindu (ABOVE) who was appointed in 2011. At Bosso Kaindu became somewhat another version of Frenchman Arsene Wenger, with his side playing a lovely brand of football, but ultimately promising much and delivering little in terms of silverware. Kaindua��s side went for 23 league games without conceding a loss during the 2012 league campaign and won the Mbada Diamonds Cup the following year, but as was now tradition with sides under his tutelage they were deposed by bitter rivals Dynamos at the home stretch in both seasons.
After victory over Dembare it remains to be seen if Akbay will break the sidea��s league duck.
Online Reporter