THE Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa) board is expected to meet soon to decide on the Warriors coach. The football governing body seems to be frantically trying to secure the services of former Dynamos four-time title winning coach Kalisto Pasuwa for the Afcon campaign.
By Brian Nkiwane
However, Zifa appears to be hamstrung by its poor financial position to make a decision on the appointment of the new coach.
Again, the football mother body seems to have been waiting for the African football supreme body CAF to conduct the draw first, come up with qualifying rounds dates, as well as naming the host nation for them to start the ball rolling in as far as preparations are concerned.
After two failed attempts to qualify for the bi-annual tournament, in 2013 and 2015, the Zifa board dissolved the Warriors team for the second time in four years.
The Warriors failed to defend a two goal lead when they went for the final qualifying match in Angola, as well as a first round exit at the hands of lowly-ranked Tanzania last year under the guidance of Ian Gorowa. Because of the poor performances, the board dissolved the team.
They assigned Pasuwa to take charge of a developmental team which has been taking all national team assignments so far.
However, after the announcement of the draw in which Zimbabwe was pooled in Group L together with Guinea, Swaziland and Malawi, Zifa seems to be backtracking on its decision to have the youthful team led by Pasuwa participating on these qualifiers.
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For a nation that has been starved of football success, the board fears a backlash from football fans, hence the need to look for a renowned coach who will see to it that the Warriors make it to the next Afcon final in Gabon. It is now two months before Zimbabwe kickstart their Afcon qualifying bid.
Zifa communications manager Xolisani Gwesela confirmed the development, adding that the board was due to meet to try and map the way forward over the issue of the national coach.
“I cannot confirm that Kalisto Pasuwa will take charge of the senior national team as he has been doing with his developmental side. All I can tell Warriors followers is that the board will be meeting soon to deliberate on who should be appointed as Warriors coach and also look at other modalities like his welfare and that of the players that are going to be involved.
“But what I can assure you is that the board will soon appoint the senior national team coach so that he can start preparations in time,” Gwesela said.
The performance of Pasuwa’s Under-23s in today’s All-Africa Games qualifiers would also influence Zifa’s decision. Pressed to reveal more on the players that are going to be doing duty for the nation after some senior players have been ignored of late, Gwesela said it would be the prerogative of whoever was going to be put at the helm to choose from Zimbabwean players all over the world in order to come up with a strong team.
“I think even when Pasuwa took over the developmental side he was told by the association that he could blend the youths with experienced players. It will now depend on whoever is going to be in charge.”
Zimbabwe has a number of youthful players plying their trade in many leagues dotted around the world while senior players that have not donned the Warrior’s jersey for almost a year now can also play a big role in us qualifying. Other items on the agenda will include sourcing funds for the entire qualifying stage for the senior team which will include funds for bringing down some of Zimbabwe’s best players from their outside bases, airfares for away matches, allowances, food and accommodation for both home and away matches.
As it stands, the Warriors have no sponsor at all with the exception of a few sympathisers who usually come on board in times of need.
The Warriors will start the ball rolling with an away fixture to Malawi on June 12, before hosting Guinea on the weekend of September 4-6.
On the weekend on March 23-26, the Warriors will be in Swaziland before hosting the same opponents a week later. They will host Malawi on the weekend of June 3-5 before travelling to Guinea for their final qualifying match. It remains to be seen whether Zifa will put their trust in Pasuwa or if a new broom will be brought in. Time will tell.
