Of guavas, mangoes, and missed love at Bosso!

Fungai Muderere
DUTCH expatriate and Highlanders coach Erol Akbay (49) is an amused and excited man at the same time.

He is excited that his wife Miriam (41) and two kids will visit him in July- that will be roughly 15 games into the season and by that time he would have impressed or bored Highlanders faithfuls. Nonetheless, he would be in need of family love and affection.

a�?While I have enjoyed my stay here in Zimbabwe, I hope she will come in July to visit with our two children who will be on vacation by then. I cannot say I deeply miss them but they surely need to come and maybe I will take them to Victoria Falls,a�? said the soft spoken Erol soon after their Tuesday afternoon workout at Barbourfields Stadium.

His amusement comes from the factA� that before he came to Zimbabwe, he had never seen a mango or guava tree.

a�?I have eaten mangos before but I happened to see a mango tree for the first time when I went with Cosmas Zulu to Ntabazinduna Flats to visit his mother. It was a nice experience,a�? said Erol.

His first time with guavas was at the late Willard a�?Mashinkilaa�? Khumaloa��s home in Mzilikazi.

a�? It was my first time to taste a guava fruit. Zulu asked for the fruits at Willard Khumaloa��s place. I really liked the fruit,a�? he said.

On the way to eating mangoes and guavas the 49-year-old gafferA� beat his countrymen Hendrick Pieter de Jongh and Clemence Westerhof for the Highlandersa��coaching job.