Muhsin Ertugral will make a dramatic return to the Betway Premiership on Sunday when Cape Town City host Kaizer Chiefs after the club appointed him technical director and interim coach on Thursday.
He replaces Eric Tinkler who was fired on Tuesday with City languishing in 12th spot in the league, only three points above the relegation zone.
“Cape Town City is delighted to announce the appointment of Muhsin Ertugral as Technical Director of the club,” said a brief statement on social media.
“Muhsin brings a wealth of local and international football experience to the club's future project, having most recently served as the technical advisor of the Turkish national team for the past 4 years. Muhsin will step in as head coach until the end of the current season, joining first team coaches Diogo Peral and Lebogang Manyama,” it added.
Ertugral, back on the touchline after an almost six year absence, will have a potentially difficult start with City hosting two of his former clubs with Chiefs at the Cape Town Stadium on Sunday and then Orlando Pirates at the same venue next Wednesday, January 8.
Cape Town City becomes the eighth local club that the 65-year-old German-born Turk has taken charge of since arriving on South African shores in 1999.
In the 25 years since, he built a reputation for his passionate displays on the touchline, berating players for mistakes and often running foul of referees.
He had two spells at Kaizer Chiefs and in 2001 took the club to the African Cup Winners’ Cup title.
He also won five other domestic knockout trophies with Chiefs, but never the league.
He was also winner of the Absa Cup (FA Cup) with Ajax Cape Town in 2007 and had three spells in charge there, the last culminating in relegation in 2018.
He was briefly also at Santos and Orlando Pirates, famously quitting live on television in a post-match interview in October 2017 after the Buccaneers had been handed a 6-1 hiding by SuperSport United at the Mbombela Stadium in Nelspruit.
He spent longer at Lamontville Golden Arrows from 2011-12 and one season at Mpumalanga Black Aces, after which they were bought by John Comitis and turned into Cape Town City.
Ertugral was then supposed to become the first Cape Town City coach but instead went to Pirates.
Ertugral, who lives in Cape Town and has watched City play regularly over the last years, was last involved in the league with Maritzburg United but after failing to win any of his five games in one month at the club in January 2019 left after they were bundled out of the Nedbank Cup by second tier Witbank Spurs. Ironically, he was then replaced at Maritzburg by Tinkler.
Ertugral’s first month at City also includes matches away at Marumo Gallants and home to Richards Bay.
Cape Town City is delighted to announce the appointment of Muhsin Ertugral as Technical Director of the club. Muhsin brings a wealth of local and international football experience to the club's future project, having most recently served as the Technical Advisor of the Turkish… pic.twitter.com/RbcrtnJj23
— Cape Town City FC (@CapeTownCityFC) January 2, 2025