Israel Saria
Pure theatrics is how one may characterise the confusion surrounding the engagement of coach Patrick Phiri, with Simba chairman Ismail Aden Rage issuing a public apology over the issue, blanketing an apology reportedly issued earlier by the Zambian tactician.
Rage yesterday humbled himself before Tanzanian soccer enthusiasts and Simba fans by apologising for giving misleading statements on Phiri.
“On behalf of Simba executive committee I would like to apologise for confusing statements over our coach. We appeal to the public and Simba fans to forgive us and forget what had happened and focus on the team’s preparations,” Rage said in a phone call.
The Simba coach is expected to return to the country tomorrow.
The executive committee of the Msimbazi Street side last week announced that they had dropped Phiri after the Zambian had failed to report on time to resume his services with the Mainland champions.
On Friday, Simba announced that Phiri had apologised and said that he would return and take up his job.
It doesn’t click as logical, though, that the same Phiri who is a presumed culprit who has admitted wrong-doing, should be the same person to prompt Simba to dispatch to Zambia, a high-profile official, vice-Chairman Geofrey Nyange, to pick the ‘culprit’.
It is another curious twist to the theatrics, which apparently indicates that Phiri did not apologise, but Simba, who acknowledge and value the tactician’s skills, undertook some soul-searching, and decided to plead with him to rejoin the club and let bygones be bygones.
SOURCE: GUARDIAN ON SUNDAY
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