The Sunday Mail
Erol Akbay
WHEN I arrived at Highlanders I designed a programme which would have seen the team playing the Dutch type of football where the formation is usually 3-5-2.
It’s a highly tactical game which I enjoy a lot and I am sure (Zimbabweans) also enjoy watching the Dutch national team or clubs.
However, with the help of my assistants we realised that despite the players being good, the style was proving to be very difficult for them so we switched to the Zimbabwean type and resorted to 4-4-2.
It’s a brand of football maybe you can help me define because you have known it for years but what I know is it’s still nice and easy for the players because it’s what they grew up doing.
So my job now is to identify players’ strengths then deploy them into positions where they can excel; and for now I can say it has been working.
At the same time, but in a very small way, I try to fuse the tactically challenging Dutch way of playing.
The team has been doing well but it’s not as if I brought magic – winning is part of Highlanders and everybody here is a winner.
But what I find strange is teams that celebrate after playing a draw against us. It happened today (Wednesday) after our match against Triangle, same thing in our match against Mutare City.
People should not play for draws, the fans don’t like it so I get surprised at the end of the match to see people celebrating a draw.
I hope at the end of the season we will finish the season as high as possible, preferably as the champions, but like I told you the other time, my contract requires that I finish in the top four.Many people may wonder why ended up here.
Well there came a time back home when I told myself that I had acquired enough experience and knowledge and challenged myself to try my hand outside the country.
Before I came I was reading a lot about local football and Highlanders on the Internet and it convinced me that it was a worthy challenge.
I’m 49-years-old and played football for 20 years after which I tried my hand in coaching and scouting. As a player I was mainly an attacker playing from either wing or through the centre.
I was a very tactical player but the problem I encountered is I was rather too small for a footballer and that is the reason I failed to break into top flight football.
The size aspect has also affected my 13-year-old son whom I wanted to play football but has ended up quitting the game … because football really favours big and muscular players.
I am happily married to Mariam, we have been together for 15 years and we also have a five-year-old daughter.
My family doesn’t like football and even when they visit (this) week their main business is to come and enjoy this wonderful country, not to watch football or how my team plays.
They know a lot about Harare and especially the Victoria Falls through the Internet and are always asking me a lot about the capital city and the Vic Falls.So when they come I will make sure I take them to those two places and hopefully they will also like Bulawayo because it’s a place I have fallen in love with and its very nice people.
My wish is to visit several places in the country but the problem is I am always busy at work.
But on the few times that I walk to town as a way of refreshing, people always stop to greet me and it’s very nice of them. I really feel the love and appreciate it.
Sometimes I cook at home and really like the chicken here – but I don’t like sadza!
However, it’s not always that I get to cook, there is an Italian restaurant in town which I usually frequent and the food is very nice there.
- Highlanders coach Erol Akbay was speaking to The Sunday Mail Sport Reporter Ishemunyoro Chingwere over the phone on Wednesday 27 July, 2016
