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Home / Tigers part ways with Bobby Samaria… Isaacs touted as possible successor
Tigers part ways with Bobby Samaria… Isaacs touted as possible successor
2015-07-08Staff Report 2 "Windhoek The customary merry-go-round of football clubs changing coaches at the slightest provocation has become a commonplace in domestic football and is at play again. News from the Donkerhoek enclave along the northern part of Katutura (Namibia’s largest residential area) has it that Tigers FC has offloaded head coach, Bobby Samaria. Insiders revealed to New Era Sports that the uncompromising Samaria had a fall-out with the club’s Chief Operations Officer (COO) Dennis Ndameshime, a situation that hastened his unceremonial exit from the club. “It’s indeed true we’ve parted ways with the coach for the simple reason that we did not renew his contract. The club will issue a comprehensive press release in this regard, but I can categorically confirm that he [Bobby Samaria] is no longer the club’s head coach,” he said. Pressed to explain whether Samaria’s sudden departure was results-orientated or why an experienced coach with a proven pedigree should be ushered through the exit door for no apparent reason, Ndameshime was quick out of the starting blocks, saying the decision to sever ties with Samaria was certainly not football-related. “It has nothing to do with his football philosophy. It’s just that we found ourselves in a juncture of irreconcilable differences. So, it was felt it would be in the best interest of both parties to go our separate ways.” Samaria is credited with having transformed Tigers from perennial under-achievers into a title-challenging outfit. He silenced his critics when he masterminded Tigers’ revival and led the team to their first trophy in 17 years when Tigers won the Bidvest Cup under his stewardship earlier this year. Asked to shed light on his imminent move to Ingwe, Brian Isaacs admitted to having been approached by Tigers for the vacant coaching post, but being the gentleman he has always been, the former Civics and Black Africa midfielder turned to his predecessor for advice. “Yes it’s true, I’ve been approached by Tigers, but I told management that I first want to have an audience with Bobby to find out what actually triggered the divorce. Obviously, I’m not at liberty to divulge details of our discussion, but I can confirm that it yielded some positives, as he gave me his blessings. So, I’m ready to accept the challenge.” The much-decorated and soft-spoken Isaacs parted ways with dethroned MTC Premiership champions, Black Africa, midway through the first round of their 2014/2015 campaign after a string of poor results. Subsequently, former shot stopper, Ronnie Kanalelo, replaced him as head coach at Black Africa. Isaacs is currently the Technical Director of Sport Klub Windhoek (SKW) aka, Imawida and it is not yet clear whether he will give up his current position to prepare for his imminent return to top-flight football. There’s an old saying that you can’t keep a good man down and Isaacs is certainly no stranger to the Tigers family. After all, his old man, late Ferdinand ‘The Fox” Akwenye (Boetie Ferre), used to be a lethal goal-poacher for Ingwe during his tenure in the 1970s. “I still have a lot to offer in domestic football. It has always been my wish and desire to plough back the experience gained throughout my involvement with football. I will have to sit down with SKW management to work out a module applicable to both parties,” Isaacs said. " 2015-07-08Staff Report 2
