Muhsin Ertugral believes 'the game leads us down unexpected paths' after Cape Town City sacking - 'I’ll always be grateful for the memories'

Cape Town City appointed Muhsin Ertugral as their club's Technical Director in January this year and asked him to also be their interim coach, replacing Erik Tinkler who had been fired.

The former Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates coach was expected to serve in the dual role until the end of the ongoing campaign.

But a run of eight defeats in his 14 matches in charge has seen the club's hierarchy change tack.

The 65-year-old started impressively, collecting maximum points from Bucs and Amakhosi respectively.

However, his good days didn't last; in general, he won just three games, drew as many, and lost eight from the 14 outings across all competitions.

The Citizens decided enough was enough after last weekend's 1-0 loss against Marumo Gallants in the Premier Soccer League.

Ertugral has reluctantly accepted the club's decision as hinted in his post-sacking reaction.

“It’s never easy to say goodbye, but sometimes the game leads us down unexpected paths,” he stated in a post on his Facebook page.

“I’ll always be grateful for the memories, the lessons, and the incredible players I’ve had the privilege to know.

“Though some situations may seem unfortunate, I believe there’s always an opportunity to turn them into something greater. 

“I wish nothing but success and good fortune for the team. Boys, Keep pushing, stay strong, and may luck always be on your side 🙏🏻

“Thank you for everything; wishing you all the best for the journey ahead.”

The Citizens have since confirmed,  "Diogo Peral will lead the team until the end of the season, assisted by Lebogang Manyama and Roger De Sa."

The trio have a massive task to help City get back into the top eight teams in the Premier Soccer League, with just seven games to go.

The Citizens are currently 13th on the table with 23 points, six points outside the MTN8 places.