HIGHLANDERS head coach Erol Akbay returned to work yesterday after a two-day absence which he attributed to sickness although reports suggested he had gone on strike over financial issues with the Premiership football club.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
The Dutchman missed Tuesday and Wednesday’s training sessions and yesterday attended the club’s weekly Press conference where he revealed that the issues with his bosses had been resolved.
The club is believed to owe Akbay signing-on fees which have not been paid in full since he arrived in the country last year and the Highlanders executive had committed to pay him on arrival back from holiday earlier this year.
“I am happy at Highlanders. There was a bit of a problem, but that has been solved,” Akbay told reporters. “We have agreed on some things and we have to move on and win the game on Sunday. I think that is more important than what happened in the last few days. I was not feeling well and I was not on strike. Of course, we had a fight and it was financial problems, but it has been solved.”
He said his absence in the past two days would not affect the team’s preparations for their second league tie against Shabanie Mine at Barbourfields Stadium on Sunday.
“Of course, if you miss two days there can be negative effects, but I think not because I am not a new coach here. I have been here for more than a year and everybody knows what I want and everybody knows what kind of training we go through on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and what we will be doing today (yesterday).”
Club secretary Emmett Ndlovu admitted there were urgent matters between the club and the coach that had to be sorted, but attributed his absence to sickness.
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“The good thing is that he is here. I am not going to speak for him, but from the Highlanders’ standpoint we know that the coach was not feeling well. There were minor technicalities and those have since been resolved,” Ndlovu said.
Meanwhile, Highlanders have partnered with mealie-meal producer Sunset Marketing, who will be selling their product Bosso Roller Meal and the two parties will share proceeds.
Company marketing manager Mufaro Msipa attended yesterday’s Press conference with samples of the product confirming the partnership.
