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Erol Akbay

Sikhumbuzo Moyo Senior Sports Reporter
HIGHLANDERS FC are yet to submit an application for their new Dutch coach Erol Akbay’s work permit as it emerged that the Bulawayo giants only submitted their request for a support letter from the Sports and Recreation Commission (SRC) yesterday.

Part of the requirements for a work permit application in the local football industry is that the prospective employer must secure letters from the Premier Soccer League, Zifa and the SRC consenting to the hiring of the targeted coach. The club also has to justify why it is hiring an expatriate coach ahead of local coaches.

The Akbay revelation comes in the wake of reports that Dynamos’ new Portuguese coach Paulo Jorge Silva received his work permit on Friday last week, less than 24 hours after DeMbare got a support letter from the SRC.

SRC spokesman Tirivashe Nheweyembwa yesterday confirmed that they received Dynamos’ request for a support letter on January 21 and approved it on the same day.

Dynamos announced the next day that they had secured a work permit for Silva, although sources in the Department of Immigration said it was unusual for a work permit application to be received and processed within 24 hours.

Nheweyembwa said Highlanders only submitted their request for a support letter to the SRC yesterday.

“We received Highlanders’ application today and after receiving their support letter they can now approach the Immigration guys for a work permit,” said Nheweyembwa.

All along, the club’s members and fans had been under the impression that the club’s secretariat had already submitted all documentation for Akbay’s work permit but the Immigration Department yesterday said no such application was with them.

Akbay’s local agent Denford Mutashu said Highlanders only requested for the coach’s police clearance from Holland last week and he submitted an application with the Central Organisation for Certificates of Good Conduct (COVOG), which deals with all such clearances in the Netherlands on January 20.

The COVOG confirmed that they had received Akbay’s request for a clearance on January 20 and said they will assess if there is an urgent interest. It takes up to five working days to process a police clearance by the COVOG.

Questions will be asked why Highlanders, who are not new to hiring a foreign coach, did not furnish Akbay with all basic requirements for a work permit application.

Bosso will hold their annual general meeting this Sunday and members are likely to question why the Dutchman is not yet in the country long after he was confirmed the club’s choice for head coach, especially since Dynamos’ foreign coach is already in charge of pre-season training.

The only solace would be news that the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season is likely to start in the second week of April, giving Akbay some time to acclimatise and study his players if his permit is processed within the next two weeks.

Dynamos only announced a fortnight ago that they were negotiating with Silva to head the Harare giants’ technical staff and his permit was quickly issued last week.