FORMER Warriors coach Kalisto Pasuwa [pictured] says he is ready to end his sabbatical despite recently snubbing a return to Harare football giants Dynamos, where he initially starred as a player before leading the club to four successive league titles between 2011 and 2014.
BY FORTUNE MBELE
Pasuwa’s future has been subject of constant speculation since leaving the Warriors job at the end of the 2017 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals held in Gabon, with the gaffer revealing his manager has been inundated with requests from potential suitors inquiring about his availability.
“Since I came back from Afcon, there are teams that have been calling my manager (Gibson Mahachi). I always apologise to him because he has been getting negative responses from me because I have been telling him I need to rest,” Pasuwa told the Sports Hub in an interview in Bulawayo last week.
“He has asked me when I want to come back to mainstream football and I have told him I would get back to him when I am ready, but there are clubs that have certainly been making inquiries.”
The former Dynamos midfielder also opened up for the first time on his experiences in the wake of Zimbabwe’s dismal campaign at the Afcon which subsequently cost him his job.
Pasuwa — who came under a barrage of criticism over his team selection and tactics at the continental showpiece — said he was under immense pressure after the tournament although he would not divulge the nature of his concerns.
“When I came back from Afcon I had too much pressure and my family also needed me home. I wanted some time with my family and to refresh for a comeback in a renewed mood and start all over again.”
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Pasuwa is currently working as part of the coaches involved in the Shield-Chelsea campaign, an innovative football talent search programme, which will see 30 players vying for a ticket into the Africa XI squad to face the Chelsea Legends in September.
He, however, hinted that a return to mainstream football was close.
“Expect anything very soon. I will come back to football, but as of now I am concentrating on this; you can see what I am doing here, which is very key to our juniors,” Pasuwa said on the sidelines of the talent identification programme at Gifford High School in Bulawayo
“I’ve been to the Afcon finals and there were so many areas in which we came short and we need to start from the bottom and push these players up and give direction to our football. It must start from the juniors; it’s a process taking these players to international level,” Pasuwa said.
He said funds permiting, he would be starting a football academy like most former players saying it was regrettable that he had probably let down his fans by taking a rest.
“Maybe it was bad and not fair to say I must rest, but personally I wanted to be on a refresher side of things. “Had it not been for funding constraints, I would be doing courses outside the country as well,” Pasuwa said.
“I have been to South Africa. I was in Cape Town seeing how they are running their academies and doing their projects. Ajax Cape Town is one team that has a vibrant junior policy. It is very unfortunate that for now I don’t have money, but if I get the resources I need to go down and restart.
“Remember a number of former players in the country are having academies. We need to go even to schools to try and promote football.”
The former Warriors coach also spoke about his decision to rule himself out of the running for the Dynamos coaching job following the dismissal of Lloyd Mutasa.
Pasuwa took over from Mutasa in 2011 and went on to win four successive league titles, but walked out of Dynamos after lifting the 2014 championship.
Mutasa was recently relieved of his duties as head coach and re-assigned to be the technical director with Biggie Zuze appointed head coach on an interim basis while Pasuwa was linked to the top job.
“Remember last time when I returned to top-flight football at Dynamos, it was Lloyd Mutasa who was coaching Dynamos. It must not be a coincidence that every time when Mutasa fails, then Pasuwa comes in,” he said.
“It doesn’t appear nice to him; Mutasa is my brother. We wanted to support him. It was not a case of him failing to deliver, but he wanted everybody’s support including the executive to push him up. So if maybe any team comes I can join them, but as of now I don’t think going back to Dynamos would be fair enough. Expect me in two or three months’ time maybe I will be back then.”
