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Former Leopards coach Eymael fired by Yanga for ‘racist’ rant


Former AFC Leopards coach Luc Eymael has been shown the door by Tanzanian giants Yanga SC for his outlandish post-match comments in the team solitary goal win over Lipuli in their last match of the league played on Sunday afternoon at the Samora Stadium in Iringa.

Yanga laboured to win the game and their demanding fans did not make it easier for them. This is what appears to have angered Eymael.

EYMAEL’S RANT

The club made the announcement on Monday, a day after the former AFC Leopards coach made racist remarks against Tanzanians, referring to them in a post-match interview as ‘illiterate, monkeys and dogs’.

Eymael, who joined the Dar es Salaam based club in January, also lashed out at the fans and berated the country’s poor football facilities.

“The fans know nothing about soccer and are always shouting like monkeys. They are stupid in this country. They can only shout like monkeys or dogs who are barking. They can only do that. They don’t know anything in soccer,” Eymael ranted after the match.

He also dished out some choice words for the Tanzanian football body and Yanga’s leadership.

“The Tanzanian Football Federation (TFF) works to the favour of Simba and I don’t enjoy anything in Tanzania. This is not for me. Yanga is disorganised and will never win the league,” he said.

EYMAEL’S APOLOGY

“The pitches in Tanzania are really bad, they are not even what we have in the seventh division in Europe. This is not for me. The officiating too is very pathetic and always against Yanga. I don’t have a car, no DSTV connection, no WiFi, please just let me go away,” he went on.

The Belgian coach was quick to apologise after his comments went viral on social media.

“I want to sincerely apologise to the people of Tanzania, Yanga’s leaders, supporters and sponsors about the remarks that came out. Those are not words of Luc Eymael those are words of pure frustration, disappointment and emotions,” he posted.

However, on Monday morning Yanga announced that that club has sacked Eymael and further advised him to leave the country immediately.

“The leadership of Yanga has been saddened by comments made by coach Luc Eymael which have gone viral on social media. Following the unsportsmanlike comments, the leadership of Yanga has decided to sack Eymael with immediate effect and he should make sure he leaves the country as soon as possible,” club Secretary General Simon Patrick said.

Eymael is an experienced coach, having enjoyed stints at Rayon Sport (in Rwanda), El Merreikh (Sudan), Free State Stars (South Africa) and also in Libya and Oman.had lashed out at the fans for shouting down his decisions during Sunday’s league win over Lipuli.

Yanga finished second behind winners Simba SC in the recently concluded Tanzanian Premier League.