Coach Ertugral tackles pain and betrayal after Cape Town City FC exit

Coach Muhsin Ertugral has poured out his emotions on how football has lost its loyalty following his exit from Cape Town City FC of South Africa’s Betway Premiership on March 17.

The Turkish mentor wrote on his Facebook page about the cruel nature of professional football and how the quest for instant results has eroded the game’s core values.

“Professional football can give you everything, then takes more than you ever expected. The cheers fade, the spotlight moves on, but the pain stays,” he said.

“Broken bodies, blurred memories, and the weight that the game never shows. Those are the truths that players carry long after the final whistle. The hardest hits don’t always come on the field. It’s the people you trust who turn away when the lights go out.”

He then bemoaned the tendency to ignore the mental strain coaches go through in their business:

“In coaching, the pressure only grows more mentally. One mistake, one bad season, and everything you’ve built is questioned. Loyalty is rare, and no matter how much you’ve given, there’s always people waiting. But through all the noise, the betrayals, and the pain, one thing lasts, the lives you touched, the lessons you pass on. And no critic or loss can take that away,” he wrote.

“Still, the game calls me back. Maybe it’s the love I don’t know. Maybe only those who've played and coached at the highest level will understand. Maybe it’s the belief that football can change a life forever as it has done for me. Or maybe, it’s the hope that no matter how hard the world tries to knock you down, you can always rise again.”

The post attracted comments from players Etrugral coached before including defender Clayton Daniels who comforted the veteran mentor, crediting his career to him.

Ertugral left his role after a nine-game winless run across all competitions in the South African top-flight league with Saturday’s 1-0 loss to Marumo Gallants being the last straw.

The Cape Town-based team has since named first-team coach Diogo Peral as the caretaker mentor with Lebogang Manyama and Roger De Sa as his assistants.

Etrugral joined the team in January 2025 to replace Eric Tinkler who was sacked while City were in 12th place. The former Kaizer Chiefs trainer has left the side in 13th place.