Axing hit Gordon hard
IGESUND: I CANNOT DENY THE DECISION CAME LIKE A BOLT OUT OF THE BLUE
Eventual return to the club remains a possibility in future.
It would be difficult not to describe the shock dismissal of charismatic coach Gordon Igesund by relegation-threatened Highlands Park in the past week as a case of “Panic at the Park.”
In the first instance, Brad Kaftel, chairman of the erstwhile giants of South African football, yesterday described Igesund, as “one of the best, if not the best football coach in the country”.
So why dispense with the services of the coach who holds the the record of guiding four different clubs to the top-flight title at this critical juncture?
Superstition? It is an old, but often misguided adage that when results are not forthcoming you have to blame the coach.
The revival from looming relegation of Leicester City in the English Premier League after firing Claudio Ranieri, the coach who masterminded the club’s remarkable storybook title success the previous season seems to have vindicated that action.
Both Kaftel and Igesund hinted that it was not out of the question that the dumped coach could return to the “Lions of the North” camp at some stage in the future.
Igesund proclaims that despite Highlands’ precarious position at the bottom of the Absa Premiership, he had been confident before his dismissal that he would have steered the club away from relegation in the first season back in bigtime South African football after an absence of almost 35 years.
“I believe the players will still achieve this feat under caretaker coach Les Grobler,” said Igesund, “and I will certainly be holding thumbs that it materialises.
“But at the same time,” he added, “I cannot deny that the decision to dispense with my services came like a bolt out of the blue – and hit me like few others have in my coaching career.”
For the record, the consensus view is that Highlands will probably need seven or more points from their final four matches to retain their place in the Premiership, starting with the clash against one of three fellow-relegation candidates Platinum Stars tomorrow (away), Chippa United (home), Baroka FC (away) and defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns (home) on the final day of the Premiership season on May 27.
And Igesund says he will be following the results as closely as though he was sitting on the bench, hoping that the gamble to dispose with his services does not backfire.