Bosso legends speak on club crisis

By Jeffrey Muvundusi

BULAWAYO – Former Highlanders players believe that only unity of purpose between coach Erol Akbay and the club executive can stop the malaise currently prevailing at the Bulawayo giants.

Bosso are in turmoil ever since Akbay announced that he will not be renewing his contract at the end of the current Castle Lager Premiership season.

Since the Dutchman made his decision public, Highlanders have failed to win their five matches; drawing one and losing four on the trot.

At the weekend, Bosso suffered a demoralising 0-1 defeat to Chapungu at Hartsfield Ground.

Highlanders, who were one of the title contenders at the start of the year, now find themselves in ninth place on the log with 32 points from 24 matches.

Bosso are closer to the relegation zone than they are to a top four place due to their poor showing in recent weeks.  

Following the defeat to Chapungu, a war of words broke out at the country’s oldest football club with Akbay accusing the executive of failing to replace the players they have sold thereby weakening the squad.

The Dutchman insists Harare giants Dynamos, who have had their fair share of boardroom squabbles, are better run than Bosso. 

On the other hand, the Bosso hierarchy led by acting-chairperson Morden Ngwenya has laid the blame for the team’s results squarely on Akbay.

While irate fans have called for the entire executive to be booted out, some of the prominent players that donned the famous black and white jersey in the past believe there is no need for the public spats between the coach and his employers.

“All we need is unity of purpose. You know if you are divided, you become vulnerable to attack by enemies,” former Highlanders striker Tobias Mudyambanje told the Daily News yesterday.

“Of course we know there is a problem where people are failing to understand each other at the club, but I think it’s normal for people to disagree or agree on issues but that should not stop the machine from functioning.

“My suggestion is let’s put the pieces together, talk to each other amicably and we move on as a team.”

Another Bosso legend Douglas “British” Mloyi said the team’s poor run was just a bad spell which would soon pass.

“Personally, I feel we are just running through a bad spell, which is something normal and most teams go through,” Mloyi said.

“I don’t want to play the blame game over who is responsible for the current dry spell; sometimes it happens in football. What is needed is to come together and tackle the challenges the team is facing together.

“Only unity can save the situation. Of course supporters don’t care about many things all they want are results and you can’t blame them, that’s supporters for you.”

Former Highlanders goalkeeper Johannes Tshuma believes the Bosso executive should put their house in order.

“What I can simply say is the executive must put its house in order. If it means bringing Peter Dube back so be it,” Tshuma told the Daily News. 

“The executive must consult the board for guidance than try to make decisions on their own. This thing of blaming Akbay is not right.

“A lot is happening behind the scenes. If a deep analysis is to be made there is more than what meets the eye.

“I also think the executive failed to deal with the Tsano (Cosmas Zulu) and Amini Soma Phiri issue amicably early and it’s haunting them.”

Akbay’s assistants Zulu and Soma Phiri were suspended two months ago by the club after they were accused of brawling in front of players following the 1-1 draw with FC Platinum in Zvishavane.

A tribunal exonerated Soma Phiri of any wrong doing while Zulu was sent packing for his alleged behaviour.

However, this did not go down well with Akbay since he preferred to work with Zulu rather than Soma Phiri.    

Friction in the technical team continued resulting in Soma Phiri resigning from his post last week. The Chronicle