Erol Akbay

{{Short description|Dutch football manager (born 1966)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2023}} {{Infobox football biography | name = Erol Akbay | image = | fullname = Erool Akbay | birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1966|12|20|df=y}} | birth_place = Denizli, Turkey | height =  | currentclub = Rahmatganj (manager) | clubnumber = | youthyears1 = | youthclubs1 = HVV Hengelo | manageryears1 = 2016-2017 | managerclubs1 = The Highlanders | manageryears2 = 2019 | managerclubs2 = Ngezi Platinum | manageryears3 = 2019 | managerclubs3 = Tshakhuma | manageryears4 = 2023 | managerclubs4 = Aizawl | manageryears5 = 2024- | managerclubs5 = Rahmatganj | pcupdate = | ntupdate = }}

'''Erol Akbay''' (born 20 December 1966) is a Dutch football manager who most recently managed Bangladesh Premier League club Rahmatganj MFS.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.limpopomirror.co.za/articles/sport/51183/2019-10-18/ttm-coach-erol-aims-high|title=Erol aims high|date=18 October 2019 |publisher=limpopomirror.co.za}}</ref>

==Early life==

Akbay was born in 1966 in Turkey and moved with his family from Denizli, Turkey, to the Netherlands at the age of seven and started playing football with Dutch side HVV Hengelo before starting his managerial career at the age of thirty-one.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.voetbalzone.nl/nieuws/ik-zou-bondscoach-worden-maar-mijn-zaakwaarnemer-kwam-niet-opdagen/319259|title='Ik zou bondscoach worden, maar mijn zaakwaarnemer kwam niet opdagen'|date=31 December 2017 |publisher=voetbalzone.nl}}</ref>

==Career==

Akbay has been regarded as a controversial manager in Zimbabwean league football.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.herald.co.zw/akbay-is-a-loose-cannon-with-a-weakness-of-misfiring-badly/|title=Akbay is a loose cannon with a weakness of misfiring badly|publisher=herald.co.zw}}</ref> In 2015, he applied to become manager of the Rwanda national football team after working as a youth manager and scout in the Netherlands.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.chronicle.co.zw/dutchman-mere-lower-league-coach/|title=Erol Akbay - The Chronicle article}}</ref> In 2016, he was appointed manager of Zimbabwean side Highlanders. <ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.sundaynews.co.zw/bosso-executive-let-me-down/|title='Bosso executive let me down'|date=24 November 2017 |publisher=sundaynews.co.zw}}</ref> He helped the club win against Dynamos for the first time in ten seasons.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bulawayo24.com/index-id-sports-sc-soccer-byo-91082.html|title=Erol Akbay, Bosso's jinx breaker|publisher=bulawayo24.com}}</ref> He helped the club achieve third place.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nehandaradio.com/2017/08/25/fire-akbay-breaks-silence/|title=Under-fire Akbay breaks silence|date=25 August 2017 |publisher=nehandaradio.com}}</ref> However, he left the club on poor terms and vowed to never manage them again.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.herald.co.zw/akbay-eyes-league-title/|title=Akbay eyes league title|publisher=herald.co.zw}}</ref> In 2019, he was appointed manager of Zimbabewean side Ngezi Platinum.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/2019/02/ngezi-demands-title-akbay|title=Ngezi demands title: Akbay|publisher=newsday.co.zw}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hmetro.co.zw/akbay-targets-title/|title=Erol Akbay - H Metro article}}</ref> He was tasked with helping the club win the league.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newsday.co.zw/sport/article/58730/akbay-lauds-zims-quality|title=Akbay lauds Zim's quality|publisher=newsday.co.zw}}</ref> After that, he was appointed manager of South African side TTM.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.zoutnet.co.za/articles/sport/51178/2019-10-18/acid-test-for-coach-erol-akbay|title=Acid test for coach Erol Akbay|publisher=zoutnet.co.za}}</ref> He managed the club for three games.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.soccer24.co.zw/2019/11/13/erol-akbay-resigns-at-sa-nfd-club-reveals-next-move/|title=Erol Akbay - Soccer 24 article|date=13 November 2019 }}</ref> After that, he returned to the Netherlands.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://farpost.co.za/2022/11/26/former-coach-reveals-ttms-main-problem/|title=Erol Akbay - Far Post article|date=26 November 2022 }}</ref>

==Tactics==

Akbay has been regarded as "known for a fast paced brand of football".<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.newzimbabwe.com/ngezi-fail-to-impress-new-coach-erol-akbay/|title=Ngezi fail to impress new coach Erol Akbay|publisher=newzimbabwe.com}}</ref>

==Personal life==

Akbay has been married and has two children.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.thestandard.co.zw/2016/02/28/dutchman-promises-bosso-revolution/|title=Erol Akbay - The Standard article}}</ref> Besides working as a football manager, Akbay has also worked as a banker.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bmetro.co.zw/erol-the-banker/|title=Erol the banker|date=3 April 2016 |publisher=bmetro.co.zw}}</ref>

==References== {{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Akbay, Erol}} Category:Dutch expatriate football managers Category:Dutch expatriate sportspeople in South Africa Category:Dutch football managers Category:Dutch people of Turkish descent Category:Expatriate football managers in Zimbabwe Category:Living people Category:1966 births Category:Aizawl FC managers Category:Expatriate football managers in India Category:Dutch expatriate sportspeople in India Category:Expatriate football managers in Bangladesh Category:Dutch expatriate sportspeople in Bangladesh Category:Bangladesh Football League managers